Don't Run Away
by Xen Kenshin
Summary: Follows game canon, but an original fanon intertwines. Kidnapped and recruited into Fenrir, "X07" treats being a God Eater as "just another war". As more and more New-Type God Eaters are recruited into Fenrir to protect humanity, Director Schicksal seems to have an ulterior motives. And is there any truth behind the rumors surrounding a forbidden sector and a vanished populace?
1. Chapter 1

_**Don't Run Away**_

_I've been playing the game for a few years now, Gods Eater Burst. And, as with most games I play for a few years and LOVE, I'm gonna wirte a fanfic about it. I'm going to need OC's - not many, becuase I just need enough to make up a unit or two since the canon cast will be involved._

_Speaking of canon cast, I don't own Gods Eater Burst or any of its characters and the like. The idea is mine - whenever I get one - and the characters you guys give me are yours, but I control their fate!_

_Takes place during the timeline of the game, and intertwines with the canon plot every now and a again. Expect a lot of made up stuff; interior of the Den, secret abilities and such, maybe even some inter-OC romance?_

_Introduction_

"During the 2050's, Oracle Cells suddenly appeared, devouring everything on the planet. They quickly diverged into a variety of life-forms. Confronted by their overwhelming power, impervious to conventional weapons, the people started to compare these terrible entities to the Gods of Far East Lore... and to call them 'Aragami'. Thanks to the appearance of the Aragami, most urban cultures would be destroyed in a short perios of time..."

_Gathered directly from the NORN Database; Aragami: 1_

"God Eater: Someone who works for Fenrir, and wields a God Arc to battle Aragami. Self-injects Oracle Cells in order to operate the God Arc. It's a job with the constant risk of death, but quality of life is very high. Since there are many privileges extending to one's family, many people dream of becoming a God Eater. One can either complete one's service, or retire if one's skills as an officer are recognized - but many God Eaters end up being killed in action before either happens."

_Gathered directly from the Norn Database; Gods Eater_

"God Arc: The only weapon that can be used against Aragami. It is actually an Aragami with a man-made core called Artificial CNS. God Eaters control their God Arcs through their armlets, using intravenously injected P53 Bias Factor as a catalyst. In order to wield a God Arc, Oracle Cells must be embedded deep inside the human body and linked to their nerves: it is esential that their genetic makeup be compatible with the God Arc in question."

_Gathered directly from the Norn Database; God Arc: 1_

-=-Page Break-=-

_Running. That was the thrid thing I was great at. Once I got started, nothing could stop me. Luckily, since it was a straight shot on even ground, I had even less to worry about... I ran - I ran and I ran and I ran. I ran so far, and for so long, I honestly can't remember how I stopped..._

_Oh yeah. I stopped to get something to eat. I knew this particular area of the Outter Ghetto relatively well; I had been here on several occasions on my own, and while on business. I walked over to a food vendor selling what was most likely illegally obtained rations, and just as I was going to bite into...I don't even remember what it was anymore, everyone in the vacinity shot into an uproar. _

_Fenrir enforcement agents were swarming the place, shouting that they were under direct order from someone named Johannes Von Schicksal, and began trashing the place. I was amazed that they had managed to keep up with me - but not as amazed as I was when I realized that the people after me were working with Fenrir._

_I didn't wait to find out why Fenrir was after me. Once again, I took off. Only now, some days later as I was confronted by the very same Johannes Von Schicksal, did I realize that was where I made my mistake._

_When a group of armed people are screaming 'We have this area completely surrounded', it isn't wise to take them for granted. I only took thirteen steps before coming across a unti of armed men. I managed to pull a one-eighty and go back the way I came without them noticing me._

_But the second unit that I - literally - ended up in the middle of, spotted me. I fought them -resisting arrest wouldn't be enough of a criminal charge, try 'attempted genocide'- but I was overpowered. Next thing I know, I was hurled into the back of a Fenrir transport truck with a black bag over my head and handcuffs on my wrists..._

**Chapter One - X07**

_**One week earlier...**_

"You have a visitor."

A gloved hand yanked the hood off of my head. Had the hand grabbed any of my hair, my head may have gone with it. Eh, probably not. I blinked a few times; the area was dark and dank. I could make out water dripping in the distance...and was that a drill even further off? My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting. The armed man who held the hood in his hand walked backwards, assuming his military stance beside another soldier.

One reason why I hate government armed forces; eveyone looks so generic.

I couldn't make out anything beyond the range of the bare bulb above me, but I knew the room was most likely empty - aside from your standard tourture equipment, that is. Looking around would have been useless, so I stared at the soldier with the hood in his hand, sticking my tongue at him in rebellion.

Did I mention that I don't like government armed forces?

I retracted my tongue when I heard my name called out to me from the darkness. It had been literally years since I last heard someone - anyone - utter my name. First or last - especially both. The male voice repeated my name, this time accompanied by footsteps.

Slowly, the approaching sillhouette became a male dressed in a white, long double coat which was clasped together at the waist. A brwon, frilled scarf sandwiched between the coat and a white tie, eathy-blond hair, a crisp purple shirt beneath and what sounded like suede shoes - no doubt this man was someone high up.

Judging by the perfectly synchronized salutes from the soldiers behind the higher-up, this man was powerful. I did not hesitate to look him in the eyes;

They were steady - undoubtedly, this man was some sort of leader.

They held no fear - this man had a clear objective forever in his mind.

They were cold - he would stop at nothing to achieve that goal.

They were ruthless - this man was completely beyond sanity.

In a different situation, on a different plain, he and I could have been the same person.

He repeated my name a third time, sounding all too familiar. It turned out he did know me well; moving one of his hands from behind himself, this man threw a large, thick folder filled to the seams with papers. Of all the papers to land at my feet, the one with a photo of myself had to embed itself beneath my foot.

Platnium blue hair standing on end, matching eyes, fairly tanned skin and a smile brimming from ear to ear. I hadn't seen my own smile in...years. I pushed past the photo; my height, weight, blood type and everything else about me was on that one sheet of paper. No doubt, there were more papers like it scattered about the floor.

I looked up at the man, then back at the paper, then rested my gaze on him. This whole presentation was his, after all. I might as well let him get the first word.

"Do you know who I am?" His voice was powerful, and commanded authority. The question was stupid, but his voice made up for it. Of course, I wasn't going to let him know that. He must have picked up on my silence, because he continued.

"I know who you are - and I have known for quite sometime now." He began to pace around the room - around me - with his hands behind his back once more. He truly did have a flair for the dramatic.

"Then again, someone of your caliber has already figured that out by now." Hey, he wasn't too dumb of a guy, afterall!

"And yes, I will admit it was...pointless of me to ask if you knew of my identity." And he was modest to boot!

"But, I shall give you a formal introduction nonetheless. It's the least I can do to...continue to show my hospitality." He minded his manners and had a sense of humor too? His family must absolutely love him.

"I am Johannes Von Schicksal, Director of the Fenrir Far East Branh. It is my sole duty to manage the God Eaters who protect mankind from extinction." Oh, he's egotistical... I guess we all have our flaws.

"No doubt, you've heard of me." He contnued, eyeing me for a reaction or response. I followed him with my eyes until he was behind me once more.

"And, no doubt you have been in a situation such as this before. Tied up, held captive by forces beyond your control, and dare I say, your...comprehension?" This guy, Schicksal, was interesting, at least.

"However..." he paused in front of me, keeping me on his left, as he uttered my first name with a hint of superiortiy in his voice. I knew that this was the part where he would plaee his order; I've gone through this song and dance before...

"Age: Eighteen years old. Height: Just under six feet tall. Blood type: O positive. Zodiac sign: Leo. Your favorite food varies on food group; Fruits? you love apples. Vegetables? Snow peas, steamed and seasoned while in the pod. If it's meat, you enjoy American-style hamburgers..."

Johannes Von Schicksal, Director of the Fenrir Far East Branch, told me every single detail about myself - even my stomach condition that had a ton of conditional triggers. No one knew about that - heck, I was still trying to work that out myself...

I will admit; I had never once in my life thought that Fenrir would be after me, let alone capture me. But it blew my mind how their Director, someone I had only heard about from newspapers and propaganda, knew me so well...

"And your occupation?" He spoke in a finalized tone. Schicksal now leaned forward so that we made eye contact. When he was this close, I could _feel_ the confidence radiating off of him. "Well, that's what we're here to discuss."

He stood erect, and stepped backwards until he was in the darkness. I heard his hushed voice and two others for only a second. A heavy door opened far out in front of me, and two pairs of footsteps exited. Schicksal emerged from the darkness in front of me. He did not stop walking until he was standing over me. If my legs weren't tied to this chair as well...

"I am making you an offer that you, quite seriously, cannot refuse."

His voice was definite and absolute. I inadvertantly gulped.

"You are now going to work for Fenrir as a God Eater."

I looked up at him with the best hateful glare I could muster.

"Look at your right arm."

My hateful glare diminished; how would I do that when my arms - have been untied for a while now. I pulled my arms from behind the back of the chair; they were still numb from the position. As much as I wanted to fight my way out of here, I couldn't in my current state. I looked my right arm over; there was a band-aid on my arm near the elbow bend right next to my veins.

"You have been brought up to date with all of your innoculations. We examined you while your were unconsciouss; I commend you on taking care of yourself so well, especially at such a young age."

I didn't bother paying him any mind or thanking him for the health care. I was working on untying my legs.

"Understand, that you cannot walk out of here alive."

That made me stop. I looked up at Schicksal - his face was even and serious. I slowly finished untying myself before reclining in the chair once more.

"Good," Schicksal gave me a partial smile. "You are indeed a rational and reasonable person. Just what I - we, at Fenrir need." He cleared his throat, but I had heard what he said. "You will spend the next week preparing to become a God Eater. You will under go proper registration, with the aid of my own task force...filling in the blanks."

'The blanks' being the ten years I spent outside of Fenrir's civilian records.

"And, upon completion of your initiation as a God Eater, you will join the Far East Branch's First Unit. I only hope that you do indeed, live up to my expectations." Schicksal took a few steps back, remainning in the light but giving me personal space. "Please, come with me so we can begin."

I rubbed my wrists and ankles before standing. I looked Schicksal in the face before speaking.

"What makes you so sure that I'll pass this 'initiation'?"

Schicksal smiled. It made my stomach flip. Another trigger discovered.

"You will. Our computers ran your statistics countless times."

"And how exactly will you get me into your ranks without asking questions?"

"Ah, so you're aware of the...sensitivity of our situation?"

"What do you mean 'our' situation?" I asked, perplexed.

"Why, of course." He spoke easily. "I need to ensure the cleanliness of my hands by any means possible. And you, my dear friend, are a very... unstable element in this experiment."

"Experiment?"

"The experiement of life." He answered, sounding borderline smug.

I chose not to respond to that comment. "So, what do I have to do?"

"Simple. You voulenteer to become a God Eater, and go through the process as though you had no external influence. I, of course, shall carry on as though I did not... 'recruit'... you directly."

'Recruit'? Schicksal was much more of a schemer than I had pegged him for.

"You've got yourself a deal, Schicksal." I began. "But I had better not have to deal with people I don't like. And I want constant, unrestricted access to rations."

"Ah yes, that brings up the issue of your alias, does it not?"

I squinted at Schicksal; I knew exactly what he was getting at.

"I understand your desire to...remove yourself from your past. You could even say I sympathize with it, to an extent."

"Cut the crap and get to the point." I butted in.

Schicksal seemed uneffected by my crudeness. "You're going to need a handle - a mens of being identified by your soon to be co-workers."

"Why not just give me a fake name?"

"Because as a God Eater, one can determine their own fate. You, on the other hand, can only determine a portion of it."

I let out a dry chortle.

Schicksal did not move. He was serious.

"Fine then." I looked down at my own face smiling back up at me. My childhood grin seemed so distant even though the paper was only five feet away from me. "Have anyone who needs to address me refer to me as X07."

"X07?" Schicksal repeated. "Ecks Zero Seven... hm. I see."

This time, I did not move. He noted that I was serious.

"Very well then. You shall be addessed as the section of the Outter Ghetto you were born in, X07. Ironic, that you would carry the name of the place you seem to despise so."

"Are you going to accept my terms, or not?" I spat.

Schicksal laughed; his lips barely parted. "I cannot assure you either of those conditions; you may very well have to deal with people you dislike, and regretablly, rations are at an all time minimum. But..."

He let the silence hang in the air for a moment.

"I can assure you that you will be doing the second of the three things you excel in."

With that, he turned around and headed towards the exit. Somehow, the soldiers on the otherside knew he was coming and opened the door in advance.

"You will be fighting, X07. And you and I both know how skilled you are," His footsteps echoed beyond the open door. I stared at where I suspected his silouhette was gradually getting smaller, cursing his name. It was his last statement that hit the bone:

"And we both know how much you enjoy fighting..."

_**Present Day - Earlier**_

"Director. We've found a possible match for a New-Type God Eater in the Database."

"I see. What's his name?" Schicksal asked. He then placed his hand on his personal laptop, bringing up the information. A wicked smile curved his lips.

"Hm. Let's get him down here to take the Apptitude Test..."

_**Present Day - Currently**_

"Sorry to have kept you waiting so long... Now then, let me welcome you to human kind's last fortress: Fenrir."

The voice came from a human shaped shadow about four stories up. Schicksal... The room itself was a steel hexagon with pattern bullet holes in the wall. The wolf-head symbol of Fenrir was on the scarred wall on my immediate right. Upon applying for Fenrir, I was given a black khaki suit. Apparently, this was one of the standard issue outfits for new recruits.

"I will now test your compatibility as a member of the Anit-Aragami Punitive Force, the God Eaters. Please, try to relax a little. You'll get better results that way. When you're ready, go stand in front of that case in the center of the room."

In the center of the room was some form of machine, not a case. It was about ten feet in length and composed of very sturdy metal. There were black rods on the four rounded corners, keeping the upper half of the machine in the air. The Fenrir symbol was stamped on the front of it.

I knew what this was. This was the grande finale of the Aptitude Test. Every God Eater went through it - and after everything I had been through this week, I knew I was going to pass. I realzied that I was looking down at a God Arc. The blade was a giant hunting knife, and the shield resembled very jagged, mishapen wings. The blade was brown in color and the shield was an off-beige color. There was another attatchment - a gun, perhaps?

But God Eaters were either melee or ranged fighters, right?

I knew I'd be stuck in this basic Fenrir gear for a while; a black khaki jacket with the Fenrir wolf logo on the back and matching slacks. It was formal yet comfortable. Heck, I had worn worse. Besides, I always looked good in black. I cleared my mind of trivial things; this was much more important than what I was wearing. I was about to become a God Eater.

The rational part of me knew this was just a title given to yet another fighter in yet another war...

I stuck my right hand on the hilt of the blade; I was accustomed to weapons, so why should a God Arc be any differe-

The device was shaped like those old glass soda bottles, the God Arc rested in the round, oblong part. The blade carried into the 'neck' of the bottle shape, and only then did I notice the open slots that went around the perimeter of the machine.

I had placed my hand on the machine so that my wrist sat on a red section of the machine. I had pegged it for an arm rest, but now that the top part of the machine had dropped on my hand. Only now, all too late, did I notice that it was some form of press.

Accusstomed to pain, I managed to withold my scream, but I groaned nonetheless. When the machine lifted, a red braclet was forever locked to my right wrist. I lifted the blade. The weight was odd; not heavy yet not solid, but the weight took second priority when I noticed black tendrills sprout from the braclet and align with the veings on the back of my hand. I blinked, and the were gone. My hand didn't feel weird, either.

What was that? I know I'm not imagining things...

"Congratulations. You are now the first of the Far East Branch's "New-Type" God Eaters of the Far East Branch. This concludes the Aptitude Test. Now that we know you're a match, you'll be going for a medical check up next. Now then, wait in the room beyond that door. Do not hesitate to tell anyone if you start feeling... unwell."

"I've high hopes for you."

I'm sure you do, Schicksal...

_And this is where I'll end this chapter!_

So, since I'm a lazy guy, we'll be using an edited form of my Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's fanfiction character application outline! Feel free to check that out if you want.

**Name:**

**Codename:**

**Age: **

**Birthday: **(Typical recruits are found at ages 12-18. Not manditory, but keep this in mind!)

**Gender:**

**Physical Appearance**:

**Clothing Appearance**:

**~Alternatives:**

** ~Accessories**:

(feel free to just post the numbers of what they have equipped and so on)

**Personality (in battle): **

**Personality (out of battle):**

**Strengths (in battle): **

**Strengths (out of battle):**

**Weaknesses (in battle): **

**Weaknesses (out of battle):**

**Likes: **(As many as possible)

**Dislikes: **(As many as possible)

**Biography: **(Minimum of three paragraphs. Not SENTENCES. PARAGRAPHS.)

**Hobbies: **(Minimum of three. Please keep them sensible - someone afraid of the forest wouldn't like hunting in one - without good reason, at least)

**Equipment Choices: **

**Blade Type, Blade Name**

**Gun Type, Gun Name **

**Shield Type, Shield Name**

**Control Unit: **

**Upgrades: Max 2**

**Skills Accquired Via Equipment: **A complete list of the skills given to your character because of the things they have equipped.

**Skills: **Not the skills you get from your equipmet, but the skills your character, as a human being, possess. (Feel free to elaborate as little or as much as you can on the less obvious skills)

**Extra Details: **(If there's a detail you feel that needs to be added that you couldn't place elsewhere, put it here)

_If you are submitting a character and you are not familiar with the game or its dynamics, fear not! I will equip your character as best I can with stuff that I feel fits their personality~!_

_I'll also be posting an example using X07 just so that you can get an idea on how it works. Thank you for submitting an OC!_

_Well, that's that for now. Don't expect an update anytime soon as I'm working on other things - like school work and finalizing my Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfic 'Oh How I Hate Myself'.. Stay frosty everyone!_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Don't Run Away**_

**Chapter 2 - Getting Accquainted**

_**A little while afterwards...**_

The room beyond the door was a giant lobby. I made my way to the benches where there was another teenager sitting already. He wore a bright yellow Aley Cat outfit; a striped yellow, orange and black hat with matching scarf, a sleeveless shirt that exposed virtually everything but his nipples, and big, baggy shorts that looked like they would fall off at any minute.

I silently sat down next to him, hoping to avoid conversation.

"Hey, want some gum?"

So much for that idea...

He checked his pocket, but then quickly retracted his hand.

"Oh, I'm all out. It looks like I used the last piece. Sorry about that."

Why was this guy still talking? I should tell him to be quiet...whoever he was.

"I am Kota Fujiki."

I felt as though I brought that one upon myself...

"So you must have been a match, too?"

Obviously...

"You must be my age. Maybe a little older. Still, I'm your superieor by a nanosecond!"

Why would he tell me his life story when I don't recall asking? Then again, I do recall what Schicksal told me...

_**Earlier that week...**_

"You're going to need to play nice with others, X07."

"You're going to need to get off my case, Schicksal."

"..."

"..."

"You're rather adamant on remainning impartial, aren't you...X?"

"More adamant than you are on trying to make me social... Johannes."

"..."

"..."

"It seems we have reached an impasse, X07."

"No, we haven't. You are not having your way with this one."

Johannes Von Schicksal gave me a grin. My stomach performed a one-eighty turn.

"I see. Very well then..." Schicksal folded his hands in front of his face and leaned forward on his desk. "Do recall, however, that these will be the people with whom you will trust your life with."

I gave a smug chortle. "I can do this on my own, you know."

The Director rose an eyebrow at me. "You sound like..."

Had I hit a nerve?

"Nevermind. If you do not wish to make your comrades your friends, then so be it. However, you will have to trust them, and gain their trust in return. This much is an absolute that neither of us can deny."

I remained silent for a while. Not because I was taken aback by his statament, and not because I didn't know what to say. I stayed silent because I wanted my last few words to him today to have an impact.

"Fine," I began harshly. "They can learn to trust me. But I already trust them."

This caught Schicksal off guard. "Oh?"

"I can trust these 'comrades' of mine to die like the others did." I walked out of Schicksal's office not bothering to look back. I already knew I had made my point.

I heard Schicksal let out a sigh over the door sliding closed...

_**Present Day - Now**_

Kota and I were sitting down in the lobby, simply waiting for something to happen. So, I decided to look around. There was a kind looking orange haired woman behind the desk dressed in a suit, and on either side of the main desk were stairs that led up to a standing area with four terminals and a large, heavy duty elevator.

I looked up at an approaching woman. She wore a revealing white outfit that I recognized it as the God Eater's female Sniper Outfit; clevage galore, exposed side-thighs and heels. Definitely an outfit designed by a man.

"Stand up." She ordered.

Kota replied with an absentminded "Huh?"

"I said 'Stand up!' On your feet!"

Not one to ignore an order - particularly from a woman with such a powerful and entrancing voice... who wasn't bad on the eyes either - I stood. Kota, who was most likely scared, shot up out of his seat. He stood a bit too straight and he looked towards the ceiling. I found this hilarious, for some reason. Of course, I didn't allow this to show on my face.

"I'm on a tight schedule so I'll be keeping this short. My name is Tsubaki Amamiya, and I'm your advisor. This is your schedule. After a medical check up, you'll complete a full cirriculum of basic physical training, basic armor training. as well as a weaponry/armory clinic.

We've been the ones protecting you up until now. But from this day forward, you'll be the ones doing the you don't want to die over something stupid, then answer my every order with a yes. Understood?"

Kota and I both remained silent. I'll admit, taking everything in was a bit overwhelming, and that slowed down my response time, but -

"Answer me!"

Kota and I both jumped. "Yes ma'am!" He wailed for the both of us, I hoped.

"Let's being the medical check ups." Tsubaki Amamiya continued without breaking stride. "We'll start with you." She turned to face me. Just my luck...

"Report to Dr. Sakaki's office by 1500 hours. Take a tour of the facilites unil then. This is your new home; the Fenrir Far East Branch, aka the Den. Make sure you pay your respects to the members of your team."

I gave Tsubaki Amamiya a nod of confirmation. She then looked to Kota who continued to look at the ceiling. Obviously ready to depart, Tsubaki did just that. I looked to Kota who was still staring up at the ceiling.

"She's gone." I told him cooly.

Kota exhaled deeply. "Sheesh! She's scary! Still, you seemed to hold your own against her pretty well, huh?"

I looked down at the watch on my left wrist. The time was two fourty. Tsubaki told me to be at Paylor Sakaki's office by fifteen hundred hours - three PM. That gave me ten or fifteen minutes to memorize the Fenrir Far East Branch - The Den. I looked over my shoulder at Kota. Paying him no mind, I began to walk towards the giant elevator to the right of these four computer terminals.

"Oh hey, I never got your name!" Kota called to me.

I stopped mid-way. I remembered that these people were indeed my comrades...for however long they would last. I should at least show them respect, as Tsubaki advised.

"Just call me X." I made my way upstairs before Kota could say anything further.

I realized that the layout of The Den remained constant regardless of the floor. The floors all had different color schemes, differentiating them from one another. The Rookie section was green and there was a man standing there complaining about ration shortage. He wore a green shirt and a backwards cap. He noticed me, and commented on the typically high quality living of God Eaters. I hardly paid him any mind. Blowhard...

I decided to go down to where the God Arcs were kept, seeing as how the Labratory was a single elevator ride away. There, I met the mechanic Licca. She had permanent grease marks on her face and wore goggles. Her clothing was baggy and gray. Her personality was kind and attracted me rather well; she did her job so we could do ours. I could see myself coming down here quite often; there were hardly any people down here - an aspect that I appreciated - and Licca seemed to take a liking to me as well.

I bade her farewell, telling her that I had to go for a medical checkup. She scolded me; saying that I should have gone there first. It was her job to keep the God Arcs in shape, but the God Eaters had to keep themselves in check.

"Don't make being reckless a habit of yours."

I gave her an uncertain half-smile; she had no idea who she was speaking to...

I arrived on the Labratory level. There was a rather timid pink haired woman standing around. I thought she looked rather cute and as much as I hate to admit, she caught me staring.

"Oh... Hello there." She greeted me. I remained inert, but that didn't seem to affect her. "Oh, so you're the rookie! They said we'd be getting two new kids..."

Kids? I'm pretty sure she and I were about the same age...

"You must be on your way to your medical checkup, then! It's at the end of the hall, in Dr. Sakaki's lab. Doc's a little eccentric, but... Oh, but hey! He's a very kind man! You'll be fine!"

I continued to stare at her long after she finished speaking. After a few moments, she began shuffling on her feet nervously. I could tell that I was making her uncomfortable, but...

"Uhm..." She began, looking away from me.

"What's your name?" I asked, my voice surprisingly gentle. I think the question caught her off guard because she looked back up at me with an expression of shock on her face.

"Oh! I'm Kanon Daiba. I thought I introduced myself before. I'm so sorry."

I smiled; she reminded me of... "Don't worry about it." I spoke, cutting myself off from my memories.

Once more, there was silence between us. This one seemed a bit more... well, less, awkward. "I'm just trying to get everyone's names down." I commented. "This whole thing is a bit overwhelming."

Kanon gave me a kind smile. "Ah, I was the same way when I first joined. Don't worry, everyone around here is super nice!"

Her mannerisms, her smile, that gentle personality...she really made me think of -

"Oh, when were you due for your check up, uh..."

"Oh, my name is -" I stopped myself; Kanon may have reminded me of someone, but she wasn't... "Call me X. Just X. And I'm due at fifteen hundred hours. I'll be going now." I turned away from Kanon and walked towards the end of the hall. I could tell by her silence that my sudden shift in attitude disturbed her.

_**Seconds later...**_

"Hmm... you got here 726 seconds sooner than I expected. Good to see you New-Type."

Eccentric wasn't the word for the 'Doc'.

Seated behind what could have been a super-computer's brain was the 'Doc'. He was a constant smiler; I was amazed that he didn't have wrinkles on the sides of his mouth, and that he could type so rapidly with his eyes closed. He wore glasses on the bridge of his nose, and a rather old-timey looking red robe, the type that magic useers wore in those old stories. His voice was also cheerful.

In short, this man terrified me.

"I'm Paylor Sakaki and I'm in charge of the Aragami Technology R&D. Well, we'll be seeing a lot of each other from now on. Welcome aboard."

While his intentions and personality seemed pure enough, I knew that the happy-go-lucky ones typically were the most dangerous. It wasn't until then was I fully aware of Director Johannes Von Schicksal standing beside Doctor Paylor Sakaki. Judging by the way the two shot each other occassional glances, I guessed that they had history.

"Now then, as you can see, I'm still pretty busy getting prepared. Johannes, why don't you get your business out of the way first?"

And I could also tell that Sakaki wanted me to pick up on that fact. Interesting...

"Dr. Sakaki. I think its high time you learned to seperate business from private matters."

Schicksal kept his voce casual, but his message was clear. Sakaki, however, didn't seem altered.

"Thank you for taking part in the aptitude test. My name is Johannes Von Schicksal. I'm in chagre of the Fenrir branch in this region. Congratulations again on passing the test. I expect great things from you."

When I said Schicksal had a flair for the dramatic, I had never anticipated he'd take the whole 'we've never met before' thing so seriously. I guess this just went to prove how far he'd go to get his job done. And this was only the tip of the iceberg.

"He's a former techie too, you know. The New Type's medical check ups interest you to no end. Right, Johannes?"

Sakaki dropped the hint that Schicksal had big plans for me. And that Sakaki was onto Schicksal.

"I decided to retire as a techie because we have you. Keep that in mind."

Schicksal counters with a threat - but a carreer threat or a life threat? Both, maybe.

"Did you ever really retire, though?"

"Hmm..."

And Sakaki drives the goal home for the big finish. Doctor beats Director. It had been years since I'd seen such cut-throat chivalry.

"Now then. This is where the real fun starts. Let me explain the Fenrir's coporations objectives once more. Your direct duties are very simple. They are to keep the Aragami in this region at bay... and to gather materials which are then converted into resources needed to maintain this advanced base, as well as to complete the impending Aegis Project."

"Ugh, look at these number." Sakaki interjected. Schicksal looked at him breifly before continuing.

"The Aegis Project" Schicksal began again, sounding annoyed. "Is, simply put, a plan to create a utopia impregnable against Aragami attacks. Located far out to sea, close to the former sea of Japan trench."

"Ahhh!" Sakaki's enthusiasm got the better of him. Probably.

"Once the project is complete, human kind will be able to avoid extinction, at least for a while."

"Amazing! So this is what a New-Type is like!" Sakaki's timing was too perfect to be coincidental.

"Paylor, you're disrupting my lecture." Schicksal turned to Sakaki with lethality in his tone. So much for personal and professional seperation, eh, Schicksal?

"Oh sorry about that. I was just so taken aback by these stats, I just got carried away." Sakaki apologized, sounding genuine.

"At any rate, the future of human kind is at stake, so give it your best effort."

Schicksal and I glared at one another. It was amazing how thick the tension was. I wondered if Sakaki was able to pick up on it.

"Alright. I'll be taking my leave now. I'm leaving it all to you, Paylor. Send me the data when you're done."

Schicksal cast one final look on Sakaki. Even with all of my people reading skills, I couldn't tell what that look conveyed. Just as quickly Schicksal had locked onto Sakaki, I was now his target. I did not hesitate to return the look. We held gazes for as long as humanly possibe until Schicksal went out of the door.

"Okay! We're good to go now! Lie down on that bed, will you?."

I looked over my shoulder. Did he mean couch...?

"You'll feel sleepy for a little while, but I assure you there's nothing to worry about. When you wake up, you'll be in your own room. Just a cat nap, so to speak. You'll get about 10,800 seconds."

What's with this guy and seconds? Couldn't he just say four hours?

_**Later that day...**_

_Screams. Countless screams. Everything was chaotic and -_

_Where was she? I looked around, but I couldn't find her. She had to be around-_

_People were all around me. Some were moving, but most weren't. The Aragami had-_

_"...Eaters!" Something had come, someone. They were driving back the Aragami-_

_But where was she? I needed her. She needed me._

_Fire. There was lots of fire. There were more screams, but not from people..._

_Darkness. . . . . ._

_Screams, again. Countless screams. It was different than before; these were only human screams and I knew the exact cause._

_Screams. Blood. Somehow, I suddenly felt sick... I closed my eyes for but a second and -_

I forced my eyes to snap open. I gulped in air; I was covered in a glossy sweat and was gripping my bed covers. Sakaki was right; I was in my own bed. Who had moved me? I tried to shrug it off, but the past was too heavy a burden...

"Let it go..." I told myself. "Let it go..."

I sat up sluggishly. I hated how my entire body suffered from these night terrors. What I hated even more, was that these night terrors occured whether or not the moon was out. I dragged myself out of bed and forced myself to find the closest shower. I let the water pour over me for half an hour, allowing the hot water to help ease my stomach. I emerged feeling a bit worse than I went in, mainly because of the hunger.

I revisited my room. The moment I slipped into another Black Khaki Outfit, my terminal beeped. I went to check it, and discovered that I had a mission to go on with someone named Lindow Amamiya.

Amamiya? Where had I heard that name before?

_"My name is Tsubaki Amamiya and I'm your advisor..."_

So, Advisor Tsubaki had a brother? That would make sense; have someone cover the God Eaters while they were in the Den, and then someone else, equally trained if not more so, take care of the God Eaters on the battlefield. Fenrir was pretty smart, considering that it was a government armed force agency.

Did I mention that I don't like government armed forces?

I reached into the cupboard in my room and retrieved an energy bar. Before I was enstated as a God Eater, Schicksal had managed to snag me this room and stock it with some of my favorite food items. Although I hated the fact that he knew everything about me, I had to enjoy the pleasure of not having to interact with people all the time. Plus, free food. Who could argue with that?

I figured the energy bar would be enough to hold me over for a while, and seeing as how this would be my first official mission as a God Eater, it should go without a hitch. I walked out of my room door, and towards this 'Fate' that Schicksal spoke of. If I could only control a part of this so-called 'Fate', then the 'part' I would control...

Would be all of it.

_And that's the end of the second chapter! A small tidbit of X07's past is revealed, and we're starting to head into the main canon of God Eater Burst! In about...two or three chapters, things will start poicking up!_

_Since I've been recieving a few OCs, I figured now would be an excellent time to post the second chapter, and with it, X07's bio as a kind of guidline for all of you out there. Here it is!_

**Name**: Unknown - however Director Schicksal knows it and that infuriates him

**Codename: **X07 - Named after the section of the Outter Ghetto he was born in. Prfers to be called 'X' for short

**Age: **Eighteen

**Birthday: **Leo - specific day known only by X and Director Schicksal

**Gender: **Male

**Physical Appearance: **(For God Eater Burst fans) Hair Style: 12 (later on becomes 7) Color: 11 Face: 4 Skin: 4 Voice: 9

(For everyone else/those who enjoy detail): Short, platinum blue hair that sweeps to the left side of his face. Matching eyes that contrast his caramel skin. Roughly six feet in height and of average build. Not neccessarily much to look at, but it is clear that with some work, he could be eye catching.

**Clothing Appearance**: Upon recruitment, he wears the complete Black Khaki outfit.

**-Alternatives: **Later on in game, he will adopt the black Sniper Coat and matching Medic Pants when going for a more clean cut or formal look.

X will wear the Famitsu Outfit when on missions. (The gray Famitsu Outfit, not the one obtained via DLC) It was a gift to him by the Director when recruited for 'special missions'.

-**Accessories: **He wears sunglasses that carry sentimental value to him later on in the story.

He carries a picture with him later on in the story as well. It is of him and three other people.

**Personality (in battle): **"The mission is top priority. However, the mission can only be successful if the unit carrying it out can work dynamically and fluidly." Staying true to his creed, X will always prioritize the well being of his comrades first, sometimes even putting them above himself. However, he does so from a strictly professional level. However, doing so makes him feel as though he is not of leader caliber - but he will _never _admit it outloud.

X prefers to go into situations with plans, even if they are not very sound. He can adapt to situations quickly and seamlessly, but understands that everyone has their own means of adapatation. So long as he and his unit know their roles and follow them, X ensures that everything goes smoothly.

Should things go awry, X understands that everyone must return alive. Acknowledging this, X will not hesitate to give the order to retreat or to move to a more advantegous position. When in combat, X zeroes in on the enemy's weakpoints - and if there isn't one, he will create one.

X believes in aggressive force. Constantly attack the enemy whenever possible, even if one must take great risk. X will attack an enemy targeting him and preparing an attack the same way he would attack an enemy targeting a comrade - but he will attack even more fiercly if it is trying to flee.

However, X isn't stupid; he remains on constant alert for signs on when he should dodge, be it the enemy attack or an ally's incoming fire. While he prefers to avoid attacks all together, X will deploy his shield if he knows/feels that he cannot fully evade an assault.

**Personality (out of battle):** He's a strong and silent individual. He will not speak unless absolutely neccessary; and when he does, his words are short and cut to the point. X07 is constantly calculating things in his mind and is always wary of his surroundings - even outside of battle. He is wary of others - even those who he knows well - and typically assumes the worst of people when the chips are down. However, he is acknowledgable of those who posses strength - not just physical, either - and will give credit where is due.

Surprisingly, X can be quite the conversationalist. Getting him to talk can be a near impossible challenge, but should he enjoy someone's company, or decide that someone needs to be helped or repremanded, X will not hesitate to speak his mind. X also isn't afraid to challenge those above him should he feel that something unfair is hapening (i.e. his interactions with Director Schicksal) X can usually be found somewhere in the Den or even the Outter Ghetto wandering around on his own.

As far as friends go, X isn't aggressive in making any. He is well mannered enough to not be rude, even going as far as responding to questions that need answers ("Which way is it to the cafeteria? What time do we gather for debriefing?") but typically ignores anyone with questions that are aimed at his past or personal life. ("Where are you from?" "What is your family like?")

**Strengths (in battle): **X is an astounding fighter - fighting is number two of three in his top three character traits. He has years of experience for someone of such a young age. He can easily adpat to combat virtually any opponnent - even more so now that he is a New-Type God Eater. X07 is also a great hand-to-hand specialist.

X lacks emotion, a trait that aids him on the battlefield, granting him great clarity. Where others may become consumed with rage or fear while facing a tough opponent, X will be able to formulate a plan to counter the Aragami - or any other opponent he may face. [May weaken him when it comes to socilaiznig]

X has undergone physical conditioning even after his initiation as a God-Eater, granting him strength, speed and endurance that is higher than the average God Eater. He rarely uses these traits when fighting alongside others, however, because he doesn't feel the need to overexert himself, or draw unwanted attention.

Part of his further trainning after initiation was marksmanship. While the gun is not his forte, X07 has definitely improved in ranged combat. He prefers his blade, so he will only fire bullets to inflict massive damage from a distance, draw the attention of an Aragami away from a comrade, or to send Aragami Bullets, something that he does as often as possible.

**Strengths (out of battle)**: X07 can run. Running is three of three on his list of top three character traits. He is able to run for extended periods of time without losing steam, and can run at surprising speeds.

X07 is also very sneaky. He is an expert at masking his presence at will; not only physically (i.e. hiding in plain sight) but also from other means of detection, [May be useful in battle] and even going as far as hacking into systems to alter data. X07 is also well trained in sleight of hand and theivary.

**Weaknesses (in battle)**:Ranged combat is not X's forte. While he is a good shot, his accuracy cannot always be depended on. Further more, the custom bullets that he fires sometimes have a large area of effect, rarely resulting in friendly fire. Even his more precise bullets fall have their days; there may be times where a bullet does not hit its intended target, resulting in less damage dealt.

X07 has rather odd storkes of luck; larger Aragami may find him the most 'attractive' in terms of teargets, even in a full four person team. This, unfortunately, also applies to smaller Aragami. And if this weren't bad enough, there may be times when Recovery or Team Bullets do not reach X07 in time.

For all of his combat skill, X07 is still one person. While he can hold his own against multple enemies, if faced with several large Aragami and backed into a corner, X07 will undoubtedly encounter difficulties - if not death.

**Weaknesses (out of battle)**: In contrast to his first impression on people, X is a great conversationalist; unless X is involved in an area outside of his knowledge or expertise. One particular example would be romantic relationships. X07, having very little experience in this area himslef, would give horrendous advice. ("I think he may be jealous of this other guy." "Hmm...have you tried killing this other guy?")

X07 also sufferes from stomach problems of varying degrees with even larger amounts of triggers. Some triggers are difficult to fulfil (hanging upside down for a prolonged period) while others are hair triggers (the smile of Director Schicksal) [May also hinder him in battle]

**Hobbies**: Weight lifting, running/jogging, walking around (aimlessly?), trying to beat (personal)records, baking,

**Likes: **Riding in/on vehicles, fighting, running, card games, sunglasses, calming ambience, technology, natural scenery

**Dislikes**: Losing comrades, those who blame others for their own follies, egotistical people, arrogance, unneccessary noise, braggards, loners

**Biography**: [Taken directly from the files entered into the NORN Database. Last updated by Director Schicksal]

The following individual will be addressed as X07 in order to protect their identity. All Fenrir agents, staff included, will address the individual as such. There are no exceptions to this.

Born in the Outer Ghetto in section X07. There, he lived a normal life until age eight. He was discovered as a suitable match for the P53 Bias Factor at age eight, and was drafted into Fenrir for research purposes. Under close supervision by Directo Schicksal himself, X07's growth was monitored until age fifteen. It was then that he wsa shipped off across the world for trainning purposes.

X07, under orders from Fenrir HQ, was placed in an experimental trainning facility along with ninty nine other likely candidates. The experimental trainning procedure has long since been terminated, but the surviving participants have become some of the strongest God Eaters of today.

At age eighteen, X07 voulenteered to become a God Eater. He felt that drifting for the past three years with no purpose was a waste of his talents, and wanted to protect as many people as possible. X07 became the first New-Type God Eater of the fenrir Fart East Branch in 2071.

**Equipment choice:**

**Blade Type, Blade Name**: Long Sword; Tail Sword Ura EX

**Gun Type, Gun Name**: Assault; Irubaki Bowgun Ex

**Shield Type, Shield Name**: Shield; Brute Shield EX

**Control Unit: **Survivor

**Upgrades**: Defense Kit, Guard Kit 3

**Skills Accquired Via Equipment: **

[B] Item Duration Up

[B] Item Speed Up

[B] Resist Debuff

Health Up Large

Oracle Up Large

Stamina Up Large

Venom Resistance

Leak Resistance

Jamming Resistance

Stun Resistance

Item Effects Up

Item Usage Speed Up

Wild Instinct

Surgeon

Stamina Recovery Up

**Skills**: Theivary, sleight of hand, lock-picking, some medical experience, negotiation skills, excellent survival skills, equipments management, natural attunement to time (can tell how many hours have passed, even when unfocused or unconscious)

**Latent Ability: **Firm Stand

A/n: It has come to my attention that some people are not grasping this concept. Basically, you pick one single in-game Skill that you feel fits your character well, and give it to them. They will have this Skill regardless of their equipment. At this ponit in time, their 'Latent Abilty' holds no meaning, but it plays into the plot later on. I promise.

**Extra Details**: (Instead of doing extra details, I'll just add some random quotes the cast will say about him in the future! Cookies to anyone who remembers this and points them out!)

"The guy has this...intimidating aura, doesn't he?" - Kota

"He's a great fighter, no doubt about that. But it's his other skills I worry about." - Lindow

"He could use a lot more work when it comes to communicating." - Soma

"A little rough around the edges, but he's probably a sweetheart on the inside." - Sakuya

"X seems really nice. He just needs a bit of time to adjust, is all." - Kanon

"I think X is the kind of guy who's trying to think with his body instead of his brain." - Licca

"He reports in an orderly manner after missions, and he hasn't failed a single one yet. He may even be of leader caliber." - Tsubaki.

"There's a lot of potential in that one. It's a shame that such potential had to come at such a gruesome cost." - Gen


	3. Chapter 3

_**Don't Run Away**_

_This is it, X07's first mission as a God Eater! Now, to those of you who have played the game, you already know what's coming – mostly. But, there'll be a scene in this chapter that just might make a few of you see the potential that this fanfic has._

_Author's Note: Hey everyone. I'd like to thank those of you who submitted OCs for this story. However, from here on out, if anyone's going to submit OCs, please PM me their information so that the review space can be used for...y'know, reviews? Also, PMing me the info makes discussing your OCs so much more convenient. _

_And to those of you that have already sent me OCs, please send me a PM with your OC's completely updated information - especially if we've already discussed some changes to them. I need a PM with ONLY your OCs completed AND UPDATED informatiopn so that I can copy-paste it to my harddrive to have access to the information in the future. _

_Thank you for reading, as always, and I hope you stick around 'til the end._

_Oh yeah, P.S.: One OC per author. And there are only two OC slots left to make a total of nine OCs. That's just enough to make a few new 3 man team units, which was my original intention. I'm just amazed the slots were filled so quickly. Thank you all so much for your support_

_P.P.S. If you go on youtube and look up Iji Soundtrack 'Kinda Green', you'll find the song that gave me an inspirational boost as I wrote this chapter. Also, feel free to check out the Iji game itself. It's a nice little retro themed game that's worth the time. And it's free!_

**Chapter 3 – Kinda Green**

_**Exactly 600 seconds later...**_

I threw the fifth energy bar wrapper into the waste basket before sitting down. I had doubled back to my room to grab a second energy bar before heading to the lobby to wait for Lindow Amamiya. After five minutes of waiting, I headed back to my room and grabbed a handful more. By the time I had eaten two more, I saw a squad of God Eaters return from a mission. As I now sat impatiently, cleaning the fifth bar's debris from my teeth, I heard footsteps approaching. I looked towards the desk;

There, Hibari Takeda, the kind looking, orange haired recptionist dressed in a female variant butler suit, turned to face the approaching person. He had black hair that arched over his left eyebrow. He wore a brown jacket on that fit him well, with gray roughs and brown boots. There was a God Eater armlet on his right wrist as well. He must be -

"Oh Lindow," Hibari's voice confirmed my guess, as did Lindow stopping at the desk when she addressed him. "The director said if I saw you to tell you to come see him." Schicksal...

"Ok! Don't tell him you saw me." Lindow spoke in a cheerful voice.

I liked him already.

Lindow turned away from Hibari with a wave as he made his way to where I was sitting. I stood up; might as well get in good with my superiors now. He stopped in front of me, his hands on his waist.

"Hey there rookie. The name's Lindow Amamiya. On paper, I'm your superior officer, but uh never mind all that boring stuff, okay? All I ask is that you become someone I know will have my back, okay?"

I gave him a slight nod; did he somehow pick up on my earlier thought? No; he had read my movements, noticed how quickly I stood up, and pieced the two together. I reminded myself to watch him in the future; if he could read my movements now then - I heard a second pair of footsteps approaching all too late.

"Oh, who's this a rookie?" She was fair skinned with short, black hair and a model's pose. She wore a mainly black outfit with green trim composed of a halter top and a swayed skirt, black gloves and heels. Hardly battle attire.

Then again, since applying Oracle Cell technology to clothing was as difficult as human flight, why not stay fashionable when on, and off, the battlefield?

"Yeah. I'm pounding him with all our severe rules ruight now so take a hike Sakuya." Lindow commanded playfully.

"Yes sir, big boss sir!" She gave me a good-bye wave with her left hand. I noticed the armlet on her right wrist. She was also a God Eater. I noticed that my eyes watched her walk away for a few sceonds longer than I desired.

"So anyway that's about it." Lindow's voice didn't catch me off guard, but it did sound a bit more... commanding than before. "Okay. I'm sending you right into battle now, but I'll be accompanying you on this mission. Hey look at the time." I checked the watch on my left wrist. Lindow, however, looked to hi right away from where Hibari stood. I followed his gaze to a large Old English style clock above the inner gate. "We're gonna head out guys."

_**Some moments later...**_

Lindow and I retrieved our God Arcs. As much as I hated to admit it in my mind, Lindow's God Arc made me feel a bit...insignificant.

Lindow was an Old-Type Melee God Eater and like I, used a Long Sword. Well, technically speaking, I used a Long Sword like him since he was around first. His was red and black in color. The blade itself was a chainsaw and had sharp, jagged, steel silver teeth. The center of the blade was black while the area around it was red. His shield had red trim and a black, four section-squared center. He lifted it off of the rack expertly, smiling at it.

Inside of me, a spark was born. One day, my blade would look just as great as his. One day, I would be able to walk with the confidence and charisma Lindow did. One day, I'd be able to let go of what happened so many years ago - I stopped myself from thinking of the past and focused on my blade.

I couldn't help but notice the differences in our weapons. I had done a lot of research on God Eaters in the past, and even more so now since my 'initiation' into Fenrir, but there was a lot of material to cover. But what I did know, however, were the tools of the trade. Right now, my blade was basic and lacked power. But one day, soon, I'd have a blade of my very own.

I noticed Lindow look over at my God Arc.

"So, that's a New-Type's God Arc, huh?"

I nodded.

"I've gotta say, I just might be a little jealous."

"Oh?" I asked, amazed.

"Yeah. You New-Types are like everyting in one big, fancy package. Melee and ranged combat... If we're not careful, you New-Types might put us Old-Types to shame."

A part of me felt moved. But most of me knew Lindow was being condescending...right?

"Alright rookie, let's move."

_**One helicopter trip later...**_

"Boy this place has seen better times huh?"

'This place' was called the City Of Mercy. In all honesty, it looked like it recieved zero mercy when the Aragami initially struck. The ground was torn to shreds; chunks of sidewalk were stacked upon one another like stairs in some sections; buildings were crumbling and uninhabitable. Speaking of buildings, off in the distance, a skyscraper sported a dounut hole the size of a large wrecking ball.

In its own twisted way...it was beautiful...

"Hey rookie, we're gonna start the simulation now. You got three orders:

1) Don't die.

2) If you're number's up, get out.

3) Lastly; hide.

4?) If you're lucky, catch the enemy off guard and BLAST IT!

Wait, was that four? The bottom line is you've gotta survive. Follow that order and everything else will be fine."

I remained unreadable; was he serious? Granted, it was all great advice - especially for my very first mission, but it all seemed so. . . obvious.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road."

Lindow leaped off of the rise first. I looked back, and could still see the Fenrir helicopter in the distance. '(No going back now.)' I thought, following behind him. Lindow fell in behind me.

I gave him a questioning stare.

"It's a simulation. Act like you're in charge."

I nodded and headed left. We exited the alley way and ended up in the middle of what may have been the town square. Feeling a little exposed, I motioned for Lindow to move right into a building. He followed behind me.

"A dead end." I sucked my teeth. Had the enemy been behind us...

"Well, now you know. Keep that in mind, rookie. Your battlefield -"

"Know your battlefield, know your enemy. Knowledge is half the battle."

I felt Lindow go silent behind me. I also felt his gaze on my back. I pretended not to notice and looked around. There was a sudden glint of light; something was on the ground. I jogged toward it and crouched low. The item looked like an old medical kit. I noticed that there were some salvageable items inside, and tucked it away for safe keeping.

"So," Lindow's voice reminded me I wasn't alone. "You've been in battle before?"

I turned to face Lindow.

"Your stance is solid," He remarked on how I held my God Arc at my side. "And your voice changed once we hit the battlefield."

I narrowed my eyes at him; he was _very _adept at reading people. I don't like being read.

"But then again. I can be imagining things." He shrugged. "It's not like you speak very often." He smiled at me before turning around to face the exit. "Let's move rookie. I think I heard a roar from over here..."

_**Shortly afterward...**_

"There it is." Lindow whispered to me, pointing at the Ogretail. "Remember, this is just a simulation, so relax. But also remember that this is still a battlefield. Don't let your guard down."

He and I were planted back first to the wall of a church, staring at the mission target - my first mission target. I was fresh from my medical check up and eager to try out my God Arc. The Ogretail was a four legged beast, gray and white in coor. It had a menacing canine like face with sharp teeth and a grin that reminded me of a sadistic clown. I then noticed why it was called an Ogretail; its tail was large and had a face on it that resembled an ogre.

"Now, what you're going to do is..."

I ignored him; I've fought before. The only considerable change was that I now had a weapon that could kill Aragami, mankind's greatest threat. What was the real difference?

I charged forward, neglecting all of Lindow's tips on pinpointing an Aragami's weakness. I didn't need to find weaknesses with this Aragami; I would make them.

The Ogretail heard me coming and whipped around quickly. It roared, pulling back its tail. "Rookie, look out!" Lindow yelled, his voice not too far off. Judging by the close distance and the sound of a second pair of thundering steps, Lindow had taken off after me.

I leaped into the air, higher than I ever had before, and gripped my blade in both hands. I coiled my body into a ball, and spun in the air, rotating my Blade several times vertically. The edge ripped through the Ogretail's head, back and tail, and it fell to the ground before I did.

I landed perfectly, if I could say so myself. I turned around, watching Lindow as he slowed down. He stopped at the Ogretail and poked at it with his blade.

He let out a low whistle. "You managed to take it out in one hit. Not bad for a rookie." I only nodded; so this was the power of a God Eater...

"However, you completely neglected orders and placed yourself, and the team, in danger. For that, I have to lower you mark. B plus."

I couldn't believe I was being graded like an elementary school student.

Lindow then lit up, a grin coming across his face. "Then again, your move looked too cool for a B. Let's just say you got an S. S's are good, right?"

I stared at him blankly; was he serious?

"Anyway, now I'll show you why we're called God Eaters." Lindow tilted his blade upward. I saw him place a hand on his armlet - the red braclet that every God Eater wore - and slowly, his blade began to shrink. Before my mind could process this, black tendrils emerged from his God Arc's core; I recognized them instantly.

The same black tendrils that merged with my hand only hours ago today...

Slowly, the tendrills merged with one another until they created what looked to be a set of jaws. The top part bore white streaks that with enough imagination, looked like eyes. I then heard it; the jaws were letting out gluttous breaths.

Lindow's God Arc...was alive...

"All right, dig in!" Lindow thrust his sword forward, and the jaws bit down on the Aragami. They chewed on the Ogretail for a moment before being retracted. Lindow's God Arc returned to normal size. He lifted it up, and gazed up its core located in the hilt.

"Eh, typical." He turned his head to me. "Your turn, rookie."

I stood before the Ogretail and next to Lindow. I placed my hand over my armlet: I felt a slight shift in my being. My God Arc felt as though it vibrated in my hand but I knew that it did not move. But I was wrong; just like Lindow's, my blade began to shrink down until it formed a sort of tongue. Slowly, the black tendrills formed a mouth and holding them, I began to feel the anticipation...of hunger.

"This is it, right?" I asked Lindow.

He nodded. "Good job, rookie. You have the basics down. We can head on back to base now." Lindow lit a cigarette. "Oh, but under stand that I'll have to punish you for insubordination."

Punish me?

_**After returning to the Den...**_

"So from now on, what are the orders you'll be following, Rookie?" Lindow asked for the thirteenth time. I watched him light a cigarette as he stared at me.

"Don't Die." I repeated in a strained voice. "If your number's up, get out." I began to pant from over excersion. "Lastly; hide..." I felt my muscles beginning to give out.

"You missed one." Lindow smiled innocnetly, pressing a button on the control panel.

With a loud thud, another metal weight fell onto the stack. I strained beneath the weight rack, my body screaming in sheer agony as it reached its very limit. "If you're lucky..." I began pushing againt the weight rack in the training facility. "Catch the enemy off guard..." I saw Lindow catch the cigarette that nearly fell from his mouth.

"And BLAST IT!" My voice echoed, closely followed by the echoing of the weights hitting the walls. The iron circles spun like pennies as I heaved, trying to take in precious oxygen.

"Good job, rookie." Lindow took a drag of his cigarette. "You managed to ride out your punishment..." He deeply inhaled his cigarette. "And do a single rep." Lindow walked past me, patting me on the shoulder. "Maybe some day we'll do sets together."

I remained motionless as Lindow walked towards the door. I heard it slide open as he walked out, but I couldn't hear it close over the sound of me hitting the floor.

I was in serious pain...

_Well, now it's time for a poll. Do you guys think I should round off the 'Rookie' missions where Protagonist meets the main cast, or is it time I veer away from the main plot and introduce that idea I don't have yet? Let me share some of my ideas on the two possible paths:_

_**Option One: Follow the main storyline up until the second New-Type, Alsa, is introduced. At that point, introduce the non-canon storyline and THEN the OCs will start making appearances.**_

_**Pros: More story. More chances to glimpse X07, adn other OCs, as characters. More chances to see how he interacts with the cast. Possibly a few funny moments. More chances to include own dialouge into the main canon. More fun, overall.**_

_**Cons: It'll take longer. It's been done before. We've all seen the cutscenes.**_

_**Suggestion if this option is picked: Cut back on the amount of in-game dialouge in the fic; get the basic idea down and then improvise.**_

_**Cut off missions in the fanfic after the 'Iron Rain' mission. The cut scene in gme is called 'Mission with Soma'. Mention previous missions instead of typing them. Pick up from Alis's introduction. At this point, the story will take its first turn towards the non-canon plot.**_

_**Option Two: Skip through the missions, referring back to them once or twice and introduce the non-canon story idea sooner. Introduce the OCs sooner. Later missions will be referenced to until Alisa's introduction; Alisa's introduction would then be chapter four.**_

_**Pros: You'll get to see your OCs sooner. Less to write (maybe?) Possible faster update time (I stil have responsibilities in life). **_

_**Cons: Less story. Less character development time. May create a gap in the time-flow of the fic. Less 'screen time' for the main cast. **_

_**Suggestion if this option is pocked: Focus less on the main plot; incorporate the OCs more and create an almost completely new 'Gods Eater Burst' story, possibly altering current idea.**_

_Those are the options. In all honesty, I'd prefer option one, and I'm leaning towards it. However, I would like to know of your opinions on how the story should resume. Leave a review with you answer - feel free to give me other options, or make other points. Remember, my PM inbox is always available to readers. Thanks again, everyone. Stay frosty!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Don't Run Away**_

_And the winner is... Option one! Well, this was kind of a biased poll since I WAS leaning toward option one anyway. However, I've come to a valid and just conclusion: I'll cover the very first few 'rookie' missions in order to give the NPCs proper introdcutions (X and Kota's first mission will be excluded, since he was introduced in the second chapter) and then kind of hop, skip and jump around the missions until Alisa is introduced._

_This way, the main cast is introduced, X has chatracter interactions and development, and, most importantly to you guys, the OCs (who will be introduced in an estimated...four to seven chapters) won't seem like they were just thrown in all willy nilly!_

_Now, moving on. This is X07's second mission as a God Eater and he is accompanied by Sakuya, possibly the best medic in the Far East Branch (and in game, in my personal opinion). This mission adaptation will be kind of short people, but the chapter length will be balanced out by Paylor Sakaki's first lecture on the Aragami. Also, I'll be adding some God Eater info for those readers who are not familiar with the game. You know who you are, and I'm looking out for you!_

_P.S.: I'll be making references with the chapter titles every now and again, starting with this chapter. It won't happen all the time, but when it does, bonus points to those of you who pick up on it!_

_P.P.S: Some of you have been submitting characters who already have experience as being God-Eaters - particularly New-Types. While I do appreciate the creativity put into your characters, do understand that I'm following the game's initial idea: Protagonist (X07) is the first New-Type of the Far East Branch. Now, I don't know if this means that __**other **__branches already had New-Types (since the game never really goes into detail about other branches) and I will honor your character, but there may be some minor changes to what you have submitted in order for my idea to work._

_Whatever that idea may be..._

_Also, if I haven't already informed you via PM, the equipment your OCs are submitted with will not be what they start off with; they're going to have to work their way up there for the most part - or at least to some degree. And lastly, if you haven't already PMed me your OCs fully up-to-date biography, please do so as soon as possible. I may withold their appearance in the fanfiction until I recieve a private message with their clean bios. Thank you!_

**Chapter 4 - GunxSword**

"There you are!"

Doctor Paylor Sakaki greeted me eccentrically. Not too long after I woke up this morning, still a little sore from Lindow's weight trainning/punishment, I recieved an email from the Doctor himself requesting my presence in his Lab for a lecture. He told me Kota would be there as well. I checked the time; his lecture would start in twenty minutes.

I got there fifteen minutes later, discarding a microwavable meal supplied to me by Schicksal. It seemed as though he were able to get his hands on some rations for me despite the shortage. I made a mental note to find out why he was trying to earn my favor when he already had me under his thumb - for now...

"Alright, let's jump right in!" Doc spoke as I took a seat. "What do you think an Aragami is?" He looked directly at me, I think. How did he see anything with his eyes closed all the time? I mentally scolded myself; he was the kind of man that didn't need his eyes to see things. Something he and I had in common...

"The nemisis of human kind. An absolute predetor. Destroyer of the world!"

Eccentric _really_ wasn't the word to describe Paylor Sakaki.

"Well that about sums it up. Now then, these aren't misconceptions. Rather, you can say it means one simply has his eyes focused on the phenommenon before him."

Has "his" eyes focused...? Was Sakaki addressing himself?

"Okay I have a question." Sakaki allowed a silence. "Have you ever wondered how and why the Aragami came into being? As you probably know, the Aragami appeared out of nowhere one day and since then their numbers exploded!" Then, as an afterthought, he added: "Yup as if they were ripping through every evolutional process."

Kota yawned and stretched his arms. "Hey listen," I turned to look at Kota. "Does this lecture have a point? I mean, what do we care about the reason Aragami are existing?"

Poor Kota; he not only lacked the mind for battle, but he also didn't grasp the importance of knowing one's enemy.

"Sure about that?"

Sakaki, who had been pacing in front of us, was now behind Kota. I hadn't even noticed him. I made a mental note to keep my eye on Sakaki from now on; not only was he sneaky in conversation with Schicksal, he was also fleet-footed. An interesting trait for a scientist...

"An Aragami has no brain, neither does it have a heart or even spinal fluid. We frail humans will perish if we are blasted in the head or chest, but that's not enough to bring down an Aragami. An Aragami is a cluster of Oracle Cells each of which is a single cell organ that thinks or preys on others."

Oracle Cells, huh? I had better look into this once the lecture was over...

"That's right. An Aragami in itself is a colony of thousands, make that hundreds of thousands of life forms." The Doc ws obviously deeply interested in the Aragami - and I hoped it was only from a scientific point of view. "And this powerful, graceful collection of cells can't be destroyed by convential weapons -at least not the ones we have anyway." The good doctor corrected himself.

"So, how are you people supposed to fight these Aragami?"

Well, I have a saying adapted from an old... associate of mine. 'If you can't beat 'em, get them to beat themselves.'

"Let's see...just keep slashing and blasting away with our God Arc?"

_**About six hundred seconds, or ten minutes, later...**_

I was in my room, looking up information on the NORN database like Sakaki reccommended. As it turned out, God Arcs were man-made Aragami - crafted from the same Oracle Cells as the so-called 'gods' that nearly wiped everything out. Like all Aragami, a God Eater's God Arc is based around a core. The core is known as a Control Unit, which when equipped properly, grants the God Eater with certain Skills.

However, the Control Unit's Skills are only accessable when the God Eater in question is in Burst Mode. A God Arcs devours an Aragami, much like how Lindow showed me after slaying that Ogretail, and it steals its Oracle Cells. The cells are then processed by the Arc, altering them so that they become the God Arc's own oracle cells, and then used to fuel the Burst Mode.

Burst Mode, apparently, is a peak form that aside from the Skills granted by a Control Unit, grants God Eaters better stamina management, further evasive steps, more durability and even an aerial jump. Old-Type God Eaters were the only God Eater able to enter Burst Mode since only Melee God Arcs could devour. Ranged God Arcs, as a trade-off, had a self-repair ability that reconstructed its own Oracle Cells.

New-Types, however, could devour just like the Old-Types and enter Burst Mode, too. But as a bonus, they recieved 'Aragami Bullets' - bullets formed from the Aragami it devoured. Those bullets could then be sent to other God Eaters once the New-Type sent them a certain way via gun form. And just like the Old-Type Melee God Eaters, every successful attack stole a portion of the Aragami's oracle cells for the Eater's own personal use.

To date, New-type God Eater guns did not posses a self-repair function, but the Oracle Cells collected from melee attacks could be used to fire bullets. Bullets? I'd have to look into that later - I just got an idea.

How is all this possible, I had asked myself. I got my answer when I looked at my armlet: Oracle Cells. The Aptitude Test implanted Oracle Cells into ordinary human beings, thus making them stronger than the average person. We God Eaters are still human, yes, but we've been boosted by science.

Oracle Cells. The exact same force behind the Aragami had been manipulated by mankind in order to combat them. 'If you can't beat 'em, get them to beat themselves.' I could only shake my head at the irony with a slight smile on my face. I continued to look into the effects of Oracle Cells on human bodies.

It turned out that the fusing of Oracle Cells and humans started only about twenty years ago. There was something called a Bias Factory in every Aragami which dictated what the Aragami considered food. Man-made Bias Factors were implemented into armlets so that God Arcs, which I kept in mind are man-made Aragami, wouldn't devour their wielders.

I looked at my armlet once more; this was a lot to take in - nearly too much in a single day. I deactivated my terminal and looked arund at my room. I figured the bed spread was green since it was in the rookie section, and they wanted to keep up the color scheme. Speacking of schemes, on the flat side of the trapazoid shape room, there was a depiction of a nature scene splayed inside the small incropping of the room. I stared at it for a while; green grass and a sun high in the sky. I appreciated natural beauty, after all.

I then let out a growl; Schicksal knew that and had the scene implemented just for me... Damn him. The room was a calm brown, earthly color, most likely accenting the natural feel. I had a coffee set on the counter that I would probably never use. Personally, I preferred energy bars over coffee. Even further beyond that was a stereo system. I shrugged; music wasn't something I bothered with often, even though it was considered one of the finer things in life. I once read somewhere that before the Aragami came around, people used to hold musical concerts at large buildings and halls. I shrugged; music didn't concern me, and probably never would.

The room itself was very minimalistic, another aspect I liked. What I did not like, however, was the fact that there was a three person couch in my room. I didn't plan on having guests...

I then remembered what I had intended to do. I walked out of my room, locking my door behind me. I headed to the eleveator and pressed the call button. Someone must have just used it because it was already at the rookie section floor. I counted my blessings, and took it down...

_**Moments later...**_

"Oh? So you've come to see your God Arc?"

I gave the God Arc mechanic a nod. While on the terminal in my room, I had also taken the time to research the people around me. I looked up Lindow, Schicksal, Sakaki, Kota and even myself. Everyone's information was rather official and one sided. And then, there was Licca Kusunoki.

Licca, age eighteen, joined the Fenrir Far East Branch in 2069, two years ago. However, she had already had five years experience with God Arcs seeing as how she attended a nearby high school. She took after her late father in looking after the Fenrir Far East Branch's God Arcs.

"Well, feel free." She pointed to a blade amongst several other blades that looked just ike it, only my own had a small name plate. 'X07' was spelled out in black lettering on the white name plate. Basic rookie weapons, all lined up and looking for matches, were around my blade.

My blade was still kept in basic storage. I can't say that I' was surprised...

"Licca," I began.

"Hmm?" She asked, typing away at a terminal.

"I've been looking up some of the God Eater basics. Bias factors, Oracle Cells and..." I let myself linger; there was _a lot _to cover. "Everything else..."

"That's good," she spoke after I fell silent. "It's important for God Eaters to know as much as they can about their tools and themselves."

"Knowing is half the battle."

She stopped typing and looked me in the eyes. "Well," she smiled. "It's nice to see I'm not the only one who has that philosophy."

I nodded. "But I was curious about the Bias Factor. Can you tell me anything about it?"

Licca nodded and then carried on with her typing. "The Bias Factor dictates what an Aragmi considers food. Your God Arc, all God Arcs, are no different. That's why your armelt injects the same Bias Factor that's in your God Arc. If it didn't, you'd be eaten by your weapon." She then stopped typing again.

"This is why it is imperatative that you never touch another God Eater's God Arc. A God Arc will reject foreign oracle cells and then devour them. While all God Eaters share the same Bias Factor, Bias Factor P53, not all God Arcs and God Eaters share the same Oracle Cells."

"So," I began, "In relation to Oracle Cells and God Eaters...all humans have blood, but we all have different blood types. Should a blood transfusion occur between two people with different blood types, their bodies would reject the blood and there would be severe, if not lethal, results? And our God Arcs are merely extensions of our own body - if not pieces of ourselves, embodied as..." I decided to parphrase Sakaki. "The strength that will destroy the nemisis of mankind?"

Licca's hands had stopped moving in the middle of my statement. I had been lost in my mind - and judging by the look Licca was giving me, she too, was losr in hers. "Precisely." Her smile shifted somehow, but only for a moment. "Only, the God Eater runs the chance of of being eaten alive, or even transformed into an Aragami."

I felt a shudder come on, but I rejected it. I made a serious mental note; never touch someone else's God Arc, no matter what.

"But, since all you God Eaters share the same Bias Factor, you don't have to worry about causing damage to your allies on the battlefield. At least, when it comes to firing bullets."

"Bullets?" I repeated. I let my eyes fall on the Assault gun on my God Arc. Bullets were a lesson in their own right.

"Mhm. Since bullets fired by God Arcs are composed of Oracle Cells shared by all God Eaters, your fire won't cause an ally harm. But, it may knock them off balance, so watch that."

"Interesting." I uttered. Then, an idea occured to me. "I'm guessing that also goes for any Aragami Bullets we fire, since our Arcs convert the Aragami's cells into its own Oracle Cells."

Licca stopped typing once more and looked over at me. "Not bad, X." She complemented me. "You've learned quite a bit for a rookie who's only been on one mission."

I shrugged. "Tell me more about bullets." I then added quickly "Please." No point in upsetting the woman who handled weaponry, right?

"That'd be a lesson in itself," Licca confirmed my earlier guess. "And I heard you came from Doctor Sakaki's lecture not too long ago." Licca giggled at the clear look of surprise on my face. How did she know? "I wouldn't want to give you too much information in one day."

I gave her a wave of the hand. "I can handle it. But, it looks like you're busy. I'll get out of your way for now." I countered for my own benefit. I didn't like it when people knew things about me or my actions... "But I would like to learn more."

Licaa grew quiet and placed a gloved finger to her lower lip. "Then why not come down here more often?" She offered. "I could use a hand with a few things here, anyway. And you strike me as the kind of person who's a hands on learner."

I gave Licca a firm nod. "You got it, I wanted to look into getting some upgrades anyway."

"Oh!" Licca typed rapidly on the terminal. There was a sudden hiss; my God Arc was lifted as the hydrallic mechanism released steam. "That reminds me; I didn't get time to install a control unit into your God Arc before your first deployment. You joined kind of quick, and were deployed even quicker. Come on over here, and I'll show you how to check out your God Arc, among other things."

I complied. Standing behind Licca at the terminal, she showed me around the terminal and pointed out some of the many things I could access; my God Arc and its upgrades and control unit were my current focus. But I noticed there was an Items section, and even a clothing catalouge available.

"And I can access these from any terminal in the Den?" I asked. Licca nodded. "But, of course, certain files will only be on the terminal in my room."

"But of course." Licca spoke confidently, mimicking my word choice."You wouldn't want your more sensitive information floating around for everyone to see, would oyu?"

I remained silent. She was right, so why even comment? I then noticed a picture placed in the corner of her terminal. I recognized what must have been a younger Licca and what could have been her father. She followed my gaze and saw that I was looking at the picture. I quickly averted my gaze back down to the screen.

"That one." I pointed to the Control Unit currently highlighted on screen It was right beneath the 'Prototype' control unit and its Skills caught my attention, and so did the name.

"Oh? You want 'Survivor'? This Control Unit excites your Oracle Cells -"

"All Control Units excite the God Eater's Oracle Cells. That's how they gain the Skills in the first place."

Licca looked over her shoulder at me. There was a look in her eye I could not read. Perhaps I shouldn't have cut her off...

"The 'Survivor' Control Unit grants you faster item usage speed, not to mention an increase on item duration. And, the coup de grasse, it gives you Debuff Resistance."

"Debuff?" I asked, confused.

"A Debuff is a status effect, such as venom, leak or stun. Y'know, poisoning, Oracle leak, dizziness or even radar jamming."

"Radar jamming?" I felt like a parakeet.

"Yeah; your armlet has maps of the most frequented areas on it. Certain enemies can make it so that you can't see your allies or other enemies on that map."

"What kind of enemies can cause jamming?" I asked, wanting to be prepared for anything.

"Cocoon Maidens." Licca said, suppressing a shiver.

"What's a -"

"Funny you should say that, Licca."

Licca and I turned to face the voice. Sakuya, the woman Lindow had chased off yesterday, was standing in the doorway of the elevator. "It's nice to see you got here before me, rookie. Glad to see that you check your email and report to meeting places early."

Sakuya gave Licca a wave. Licca typed on the terminal and there was a second hiss. A long, sniper shaped God Arcaescended from storage.

"Well, rookie, join me at the helipad when you're ready. Don't forget to stock up on items." Sakuya walked pat Licca and I, her hips swaying with every step. "And oh!" She stopped at the frony exit opposite the elevator. "Try not to get too buddy-buddy with our mechanic." Sakuya let out a chuckle before heading throught the door.

I looked after her for a moment; her walk was entrancing...

"So, are you all set?" Licca's voice...yanks me back into the current moment.

"Ah, I," I don't know why I'm suddenly feeling as though I were caught doing something bad. "I wanted to go over a few upgrades for my-"

"I gave you an upgrade called the Guard Kit. It gives your shield more Oracle Cells, expanding the area that can be guarded. Also, since you use a Long Sword, I gave you a Sunder Kit. It increases the amount of Sunder-type damage you do."

I didn't get any of what Licca explaind to me, but I could tell by the absolute look in her eye that she knew what she was doing. "Thank you." I walked over to my God Arc and went to place a hand on it.

"Licca." I began, my hand stopping midway.

"Huh?" She sounded surprised.

"Lindow's God Arc looks nothing like mine. And there are other God Arcs here that are also Long Swords but don't resemble my blade at all."

"Oh, those are the more customized God Arcs. Once you gather the right Aragami materials, and some salvagable materials too, I can make a God Arc just for you."

"Just for me?" I repeated, turning to Licca, God Arc now in tow.

She only nodded with her eyes closed as she gave me a smile.

I felt a smile form on my lips. I don't know why; I haven't smiled in years...except for when I met Kanon. Was I opening up to these people? No... "I'll hold you to that." I gave her a wave wih my free hand and headed towards the exit.

_**On the elelvator ride up...**_

I closed my eyes and leaned my God Arc on the wall. I pinched the bridge of my nose with my right hand. The cool feeling of my armlet was pressed up against my cheek bone.

_"I can make a God Arc, just for you."_

I grit my teeth and exhaled sharply. I'll be damned if I let this get to me now...

_"I can make a God Arc, just for you..."_

"No, no, no..." I groaned, feeling the memory scratching its way to the surface.

_"I can make this world a better place, just for you."_

I lost the strength to stand. I slowly slid down into an unstable ball beside my God Arc.

_"I can make this world a better place, just for you. All I need is your help, Silver. Together, we can do anything..."_

"Damn...it..." I felt my mind slipping away as my stomach flipped; the one sure thing that I knew caused me stomach pain...was remembering the past...

_"Who's this?"_

_"A kid from the Outter Ghetto."_

_"A Fenrir baby? How cute."_

_"Cute? He nearly fishooked San. Would've done it too; he's got that look in his eye."_

_"What look? Birng him over here."_

_"Oh, I see it. Yeah... kid, you and I have the same kind of eyes -"_

_"That brat just spit in our leader's eye!"_

_"It's alright. This kind of tenacity is exatly what we need."_

_"But Leader, the kid's a little devil!"_

_"Naw, I wouldn't go that far. He can become a devil, but right now he's more like a..."_

_"A fireball?"_

_"Yeah, that's it. We'll call him Fireball."_

_"Fireball? That's stupid."_

_"You got a better idea?"_

_"We'll call him Silver."_

_"Why Silver?"_

_"His hair. It's silver. Well, kinda, anyway."_

I forced my eyes to snap open, but the memory still played on.

_"Take this. It's called a knife."_

_"What? Not your style?"_

_"Try this, then."_

_"Geez kid, your aim sucks. Here, use my old blade..."_

_"Hey, not too bad for a ten year old."_

_"You're right; maybe I've raised you better than I thought these last two years..."_

I focused on the lights above me; I was nearly at the rooftops. I couldn't let Sakuya see me like this. I couldn't let _anyone _ see me like this.

_"You and me, Silver, we'll go a long way."_

I focused on something else now; my God Arc.

_"Sil...how...? We were..."_

I was a God Eater now. The past was the past, and the past was not now.

_Fire... and it was all my..._

The now was what mattered. The now was all that mattered.

_I was running... unitil I couldn't run anymore..._

I placed my left hand on my God Arc; it's feeling was foreign to me.

_Three people...all so...vicious looking..._

Foreign. Foriegn, but friendly. I balled my right fist, and brought it to my forehead for support; my armlet struck my eye. A little dazed, I shook my head until it was clear. I blinked a few times, my eyes adjusting to the light. I was back now.

"Damn." I suddenly remembered to breath. "I haven't had a relapse that bad since..." As though my words were a catalyst, another memory came back to me. This one even more potent than the first. My stomach knotted up once more.

_Screams. Countless screams. Everything was chaotic and -_

_Where was she? I looked around, but I couldn't find her. She had to be around-_

_People were all around me. Some were moving, but most weren't. The Aragami had-_

_"...Eaters!" Something had come, someone. They were driving back the Aragami-_

_But where was she? I needed her. She needed me._

_"Eaters!"_

_"Eaters..."_

Eaters.

Right, I was a God Eater now. I inhaled deeply, pushing all the thoughts back into the deepest recesses of my mind. I exhaled, locking them away once more. I was a God Eater now. That's all that mattered.

This Fenrir baby was back in the wolf's clutches.

I lifted my blade to my side and walked out of the elevator once the doors were wide enough. I waved to Sakuya who was sitting half out of a helicopter. She waved back, then hit the pilot's door. The propellers started up, and I had top sprint in order to catch up...

_**One helicopter ride later...**_

"So, I'll start by properly introducing myself. I am Sakuya Tachibana, and this will be your first mission with a ranged God Eater."

Sakuya nearly yelled over the propellers. She and I were silent for most of the ride to our location. Actually, the ride itself had been pretty silent up until now. I may have been fading in and out of reality and my mind, but I was always alert of my surroundings. What was this sudden sound -

I inhaled deeply. The helicopter was approaching the center of a long since deserted city. The buildings along the perimeter of the center circle were lopsided and...chewed? While that fact alone unnerved me, it was the center itself that truly made me marvel.

The ground had been razed clean; what may have once been street was now plains - or at least resembled plains. And dead center of this plain was the pinnacle point of the scenery; an ever lasting vortex that swirled upward on the outside yet, mysteriouslym spiraled downward on the inside. The two colliding wind currents created a sort of hollow echo, as though the land itself were wailing. Even without Sakuya's confirmation, I knew where this place was. I had researched the areas us God Eaters would be traveling.

This was the Wailing Plains...

"Our mission is to hunt two Cocoon Maidens." Sakuya spoke, grabbing her God Arc. I did the same, standing beside her by the helicopter doors as it tipped towards the short side of a broken highway. Sakuya jumped out, the short fall hardly interferring with her balance. I was right behind her, my shoes making sudden contact with the worn asphalt.

My eyes remained fixed on the twisting pillar of beauty before me...

"Relax." Sakuya's voice came from over my shoulder. Only now did I notice how tightly I was gripping my God Arc. Was I anxious? Sakuya gave me a playful and reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Stress makes your nerves skyrocket, and leaves your reflexes too high strung to be useful. Calm your mind, relax your shoulders, and be ready to dodge at a moment's notice."

She was right, as was Lindow in my previous mission. '(At least,)' I thought, '(Fenrir is smart enough to pair me with veterans. Still, combat is combat.)' Wait, did Sakuya say...

"We're hunting Cocoon Maidens?"

Sakuya looked towards me with a raised eyebrow. "Hunting? That's an interesting choice of words."

I remained silent; I truly had no response for her.

"Well then, yes, we're 'hunting' two Cocoon Maidens. No movement, but they have some nasty spike attacks. Best to be wary around them, especially if you're new."

I nodded; a combat veteran, but a recruit at battling Aragami. I gauged that things were still in my favor. "For this mission," Sakuya continued, her voice professional. "I'm going to be your support. You will be doing the heavy fighting, but I'll provide covering fire and a distraction if needed."

My eyes darted to her God Arc.

"A good rule of thumb to follow when working with a support gunner is to never get out of their range. Always stay with the group, in case of unexpected complications."

"Understood."

"Oh, so you do speak only a few words at a time." She gave me a smile.

I pressed my lips into a thin line.

"Lindow told me that you're not the talkative type."

I did not do so much as blink.

"And he also told me that you know his three rules."

I managed to stop myself from inadvertantly gulping. But my arms ached to my dismay.

"Anyway, let's head out, shall we?"

_**Three minutes into the mission...**_

I gestured with my hand towards my eyes, using my index and middle fingers. That was the sign for look. I then pointed both fingers towards the East, and Sakuya followed.

"There it is." Sakuya stated firmly.

'It' was one of the two Cocoon Maidens Sakuya and I would be eliminating for our mission. It was indeed immobile; rooted to the ground by a four pronged stem and sporting a rib-cage like exoskeleton that was infact cocoon shapped. The 'maiden' part of its name became evident as I inspected it closer. It's facial features resembled that of a child's - although its face was smooth aside from a few indents where the eyes would be - and its head sported a hood that was shaped like a bonnet.

"Are you ready?" Sakuya asked me. I gave her a nod in confirmation. Together, we stepped from behind the debris of an old building and charged forward. I glanced over my shoulder; Sakuya nodded mid step, urging me to continue the advance. I didn't need to be told twice.

Just as the Cocoon Maiden turned towards me, I was behind it, my blade slashing away at its exoskeleton. Just as I spun around for a second strike, a bright red laser shot through its head. The laser passed by my face, and I felt heat coming from it. I followed through with my attack as I took in the surroundings; the laser came from Sakuya's God Arc.

Blaze Lazer. I remembered that Sniper type guns were best used with Laser type bullets. I swung my blade a third time just as the Cocoon Maiden's head began to glow red. The glow stopped, and it tilted to the side with one of its ribcages swinging open like a door with busted hinges. It was injured, and I decided to use this opprotunity to practice the 'Devour Combo' i looked up.

Devouring was how Melee God Arcs entered Burst Mode. The God Eater in question could either A) charge up the Devouring sequence and remain in Burst Mode for a set time, or B) 'eat' mid-combo and gain Burst for what was roughly half the time. Seeing as how there were two targets for this mission, I decided time was of the essence.

I disengaged the lock mechanism, and my God Arc's mouth appeared in a flash, taking a bite out of the Aragami. I retracted the jaws and chambered the Oracle Cells. There was a sudden...burst of energy as my God Arc processed the Oracle Cells and added them to my own.

Burst Mode...felt good.

I noticed that my God Arc began to emit a white-blue glow. I swung my blade four more times at the Cocoon Maiden as Sakuya fired off some more shots of varying color. The Cocoon Maiden never stood a chance. It let out a cry and drooped forward. I took a fifth swing at it, and when it did not make a sound, I was sure it was dead. I unlocked my God Arc once more, this time taking my time as the jaws formed.

"Look out! Above you!"

I stopped the devouring process in the middle, and instead canceled out into a forward slash. No sooner had I moved, there was a small** boom **right where I had been standing. I whipped around, and saw a few cinders die down. I looked to my right, where Sakuya was aiming, and saw the second Cocoon Maiden taking aim at me. I hopped to my left, going behind the first Cocoon Maiden's corpse just as a second fire shell made impact with the ground. A third came surprisingly fast, nearly catching me off guard.

It made impact with the dead Aragami, and fizzled uselessly.

I kept that in mind; dead Aragami make great meat shields.

Sakuya jogged to my side. "Always be alert when fighting multiple Aragami, even if you think the area is clear - hey, are you listening?"

I successfully got out my Devouring form and bit into the Cocoon Maiden. Another shot fizzled against its body as I took stock of the three items I obtained from it. "Understood." I replied in monotone. "Oh, and thanks."

Sakuya huffed. "I can see why you only got an S."

I wanted to respond, but a weird gurgling sound caught my attention. The corpse before my began to melt into black sludge and sank into the earth. Aragami bodies decomposed at an alarming rate.

"Well then," Sakuya began. "Let's-"

I deployed my shield in front of her. The fire shell bounced off harmlessly and fizzled on the cold dirt. Sakuya looked beyond my shield at the smoke and then to my back. "Not bad, rookie." She commented calmly as though nothing had happened. "Oh, and thanks."

"We're even." I commented before changing my God Arc to gun mode. "Now, let's see who can hit this thing the most while staying out of its range."

"Still," Sakuya's voice carried pride. "Ten shots isn't bad for your first time using a gun."

"Out of thirty? Yeah, it is." I replied.

Sakuya and I sat in the lobby upstairs from the main desk. We had already reported, and were going over gunner tips.

"Well, your file did say that the blade is more your style." I only shrugged. "But, like I said before, a God Arc gun is way different from those military models."

I gave her a stern look. What was she getting at?

"Not that I'm saying that you've used military grade guns before." She added on in a voice that let on more than she was saying.

I kept myself quiet; no doubt Schicksal had told my superiors a few things about me. I figured it would be better for them to tell me about myself, rather than it happening the other way around.

"Well, good job today, rookie. I'll be heading out on another, much higher ranking, mission in a bit. Go and get yourself checked out. You've got another mission later on today with Soma and Eric. And don't forget those bulet tips I gave you, either."

Sakuya stood and waved me goodbye.I checked my watch; it wasn't even noon yet. Wait, I had another mission? I remembered checking my mail today, but nothing said -

My communicator beeped. I pulled it out and looked at the screen: I had recieved a new email. I got up, deciding to check it from one of the four terminals available in the lobby. Turns out, Sakuya was correct about my mission later on today.

"Iron Rain?" I repeated the mission name. Something about the name told me that it'd be a mission I'd never forget.

_And that's another chapter down! _

_Alright everyone, important news. There have been nine OCs submitted altogether, and I'm pretty sure that will be enough. However, after some double checking, I've realized that the first, second and third units all have four members by the end of the storyline. So, maybe, just maybe, I'll allow a total of twelve OCs? We'll see what happens, but until then, stay frosty everyone._


	5. Chapter 5

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Alright, alright! Well, for those of you who have played the game, you know __**exactly **__what to expect this chapter in terms of the mission and plot events. However, since I'm Xen, you can't anticipate __**how**__ I'll be adapting this particular mission._

_This is X07's third mission as a God Eater, and going off of what Sakuya stated in the previous chapter, he will be accompanying Soma and Eric. _

_Oh wait a minute. Have I done the discalimer at all? Eh, too lazy to check. _

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gods Eater Burst. All rights are reserved to their liscensed owners. All submitted OCs are property of their creators.

_A/n: I've recently changed from using Microsoft Word 2003 to Open Office 2007? 2008? in order to help me cut back on the number of typos and such. But in all honesty, this only helps but so much since I, apprently, can't misspell a word. Yup, even when I spell incorrectly "incohrektically" I don't get that litte red line... _

_Anywho, onto the chapter!_

**Chapter 5: The Heavy Burden Of Rain**

**Mission: Iron Rain**

Bullets.

As it turned out, bullets were not 'bullets' at all.

What ranged God Eaters called bullets were actually chips that were premade, and planted into their God Arc to fire lethal Oracle Cells in a specific pattern depending on their programming.

Or, in lamen's term, the 'bullet' was a blueprint for the gun to follow. No actual bullet was fired, just Oracle Cells, which was why ranged God Eaters didn't have to carry clips or magazines. Just different chips, which had their own designated slots in ranged God Arcs.

As I looked into bullets, I realized that as a recruit, I was left with very little to work with when it came to bullet cusomization. So, I walked over to the main desk and addressed the man known only as 'The Merchant'.

I had noticed his little setup since yesterday when I first arrived, but had took him as a refugee. Now, it made sense why he sat here seemingly 24/7 with various items lying around him.

"Hey, you're the green horn that's got this place in a ruckus." He greeted me.

"Oh?" I responded nonchalantly.

"Yup. The first New-Type to ever join this branch. That's history, kid."

"I see. Any chance of this piece of history getting a discount?" I tried...

"Nope." And apparently failed.

"At least you're honest..."

"So are my prices!"

"I'm sure that's what all vendors say..." I intentionally muttered just over a whisper.

"..." He remained silent.

"..." So did I.

The Merchant let out a laugh. "I like you kid. What'll it be?"

"Bullets. Know anything about them?"

"Just enough to get by."

"Mind sharing that information with a rookie?" I ordered more than asked.

He didn't seem to pick up on it. "O'course. You're gonna be my main source of income. I don't need you dying out there 'cuz you don't know a stun grenade from a restore pill."

I lifted my eyebrow in confusion.

"You haven't accessed your items at a terminal, have you?"

"Not a once."

"And you've already had what, two missions?"

"How does everyone keep finding out about the progress I've made?"

"Save often!" The Merchant smiled and help up two fingers, the peace sign.

"..." I decided that this man was clinically insane.

"..." He probably thought the same thing about me.

"Lighten up, rookie. Okay, bullets, right?"

I nodded; from here on out, I'd buy what I needed and avoid conversation.

"You got three major catagories. Elemental, Debuff and Recovery."

Elemental, Debuff and Recovery. Blaze, Freeze, Spark and Divine were the elements. Venom, Bind and Hold were the Debuffs - I doubted that Aragami used maps, so they wouldn't be succeptible to jamming. And Recovery was self-explanitory...kind of.

"I see you're already familiar with those catagories."

"How in the hell did you-"

"I can read minds, man!"

I got the oddest mental image of multi-colored flowers behind him as he lifted two fingers in the peace sign again. The image was accompanied by the sound of a dicthery-doo...whatever that was.

"And, you got shots, lasers, bombs and radial. There's a ton of other factors, too, but worry about those if you live long enough."

How reassuring...

"What kind of gun do you use, rookie?"

"An assault. The Type50 Auto Gun, to be precise."

"Hmm... then I suggest Debuff shots and basic elemental shots."

"Then shut up and take my money, already."

"..." He was silent once more.

"..." Had I pushed things too far?

"Fine by me, rookie! That'll be eight hundered eighty Fenrir Credits!"

Fenrir credits, currency used inside of Fenrir and the Outter Ghetto. I nodded, giving the merchant my Fenrir ID card. He looked at it, and handed it back to me. I gave him a questioning stare.

"I've got your number memorized. You're account will be charged in a bit. Go on ahead," He placed a few chips in my hands. "And test these babies out before you complete your purchase. Tell me what you think."

I nodded. Maybe he wasn't such a bad guy after all-

"Oh, wait! I almost forgot. Here, this bullet is called Fusion: :normal. It's a very minimal recovery bullet that works well with Assault Guns. Use it on your allies who've lost a bit too much health."

"Thanks a lot." I said sincerly, impressed with his professionalism.

"No problem." The Merchant smiled. "Your new total is now one-thousand eighty Fenrir credits."

Highway robbery...I swear...

With new bullets in tow, I went to my room in the rookie's section. I warmed up another microwaveable meal and ate it, reviewing everything I had learned so far in my head.

Oralce Cells, Bias Factors, God Arcs, battle tactics, Aragami...

So much information in only two days, not to mention everything I learned in the weeks of preperation before becoming a God Eater. This really was a new life. A new beginning...

I shook my head; combat is still combat.

So much for a clean slate...

I finished my food hurridly and cleaned up my room. My mission started in a few hours, and I wanted to get in a few reps in the training room, not to mention head down to the God Arc Storage Area and double check these bullets with Licca. I wanted to test the credibility of someone who would charge money to people who were keeping him alive...

"Oh, X. You are still here."

Licca's voice reached the deep recesses of my mind that I entered when going into the haze of working out. Granted, I had stopped ten minutes ago and was just stepping out of the shower room, but I still had my brain deactivated.

Or at least, I fooled myself into thinking my brain was off.

"Hm?" I replied, my voice a fog of itself.

"I got your email -" Licca stopped short, her face falling to a neutral state. "Oh, sorry. I'll let you finish getting dressed."

I looked down; I had completely neglected putting on my black Formal Top. I turned around and re-entered the shower room, grabbing my Formal Top. I then looked to Licca as I put the white shirt on first.

Licca cleared her throat before speaking to me again. "I got your email. You wanted me to take you to a place where you can test bullets, right?"

I buttoned up most of the shirt, leaving the top buttons open for personal comfort. I never did like tight collars. "Actually," I began. "I just wanted to know where the firing range was. You don't have to take me there."

I felt Licca's eyes on me as I put on the black formal jacket. "Actually, I do. Someone has to teach you the ins and outs of the range, don't they?"

I decided to leave my jacket open. "All Fenrir firing ranges are the same. I've been to a few before, so I know about the details. Just point me in the right direction."

Licca and I looked at one another for a moment. As my mind gradually returned to me, I couldn't help but feel as though I was missing or forgetting something.

"Oh." Licca replied flatly. "Well then what you want to do is..."

Maybe... I should have brought Licca with me.

When I was getting ready to become a God Eater, Fenrir HQ supplied me with a mock model of a ranged God Arc. At the time, all of the chips were preloaded into the God Arc so all I had to do was fire, and occasionally swap bullets. Now, I had to load my own chips into my gun and well... it wasn't as simple as I had first anticipated.

"No," I scolded myself. "I've got this." Besides, there was no point in holding up the head mechanic of the Far East Branch. I exhaled and calmed my mind, recalling how the Fenrir examiner loaded the mock gun during my test. I simply mimicked what he had done that day and...

In a few miuntes, I was firing away bullets to my heart's content.

"Oh, X07. Soma and Eric have already departed."

I stared blankly at Hibari. "What?" My voice was even.

"You are to meet them on-site. Did you not get the email?"

Email? Oh damn, that's what I had forgotten to do...

"Fine. Where do I go?"

"The location of this mission is known as the Suken Grid. There is a helicopter ready for your departure on the helipad."

"Understood. Thank you, Hibari."

"Mission confirmation complete. Good luck to you!"

I stepped out of the helicopter as it hovered above the drop off point. I looked back to the pilot and waved them off. They gradually gained altitude and was out of sight in a matter of minutes. I turned my attention to the area before me.

The Sunken Grid. According to my research, the mass structure before me was once a power station, supplying power to the local area via underground and over head power lines. It offered a ton of jobs to the population, too, and was 'eviornmentally friendly' since the power was reusable.

But now, all of the metal was either rusted or rusting. Large, gaping holes caused by years of wear and tear, as well as Aragami, allowed massive amounts of water to spill into the complex, forming pools of water everywhere. I leaped down from the drop-off point, and looked at my refelction in the murky water.

Platinum blue hair and eyes rippling just as much as my thoughts stared back at me.

"I need to find Soma and Eric." I declared, pulling my attention to the present before my mind wandered, possibly into the past.

It didn't take long to spot Soma and Eric. Although the Sunken Grid was relatively large, I had lucked out and began walking in the right direction. I spotted Eric first; he had bright red hair, sunglasses, and wore a short vest that nearly matched his hair. There were tattoo like markings going all around his torso. He noticed me and trodded over, his baggy blackpants making a loud, ruffling noise.

"Hey, are you the new rookie we've been hearing so much about?" He asked. I noticed the gun in his right hand; it was a Blast-type. As Eric spoke, he continuously ruffled his left hand through his hair.

I'm Eirc. Eric der Vogelweid I suggest you take your cues from me, and learn to battle gloriously for human kind."

"Eric! Above you!" The one who must have been Soma shouted out as he charged over. I looked up; before I could even process what was going on, my body instinctivley jumped backwards on its own accord. Eric looked from me to Soma, and then up all too late.

An Ogretail landed on top of him with a howl and jaws wide open. A single bite, and Eric was no more. I stood there, frozen, and watxhed as the Ogretail took two more bites of the late Eric der Vogelweid. Nearly nothing was left of him now...

"Don't just stand there!" I looked up, whatever emotion I was feeling leaving me, and saw Soma swing his blade. In a single hit, the Ogretail fell to the ground, slain.

"Welcome to this god awful workplace." Soma began, staring at the Ogretail whose chops were crimson red with blood."I'm Soma, not that you need to remember that. Sorry to break it to you, but this kind of thing happens on a dialy basis here."

I spun around to face Soma; with a heavy rattle, Soma pointed his God Arc's blade in my face. "What kind of place did YOU think it would going to be?"

I had no answer for him...

"Just kidding..." Was he...serious? Or...had everyone gone insane after dealing with the Aragami for so long?

"Time's up. Let's go, rookie." Soma turned his back to me and proceeded to walk off. He stopped after a few steps. "If you don't want to die, just stay out of my way as much as possible."

I may have been in tramatic shock, but even then I could detect a double meaning in his words. I bent over the now dead Ogretail, and looked over its, and the very little of Eric's, remains. Only his God Arc had survived unscathed.

Wait..these were...

Things were...quiet. All too quiet. I was now paranoid, always looking over my shoulder, flinching at the slightest sound, jumping at every shadow that danced on the outskirts of my preriphrial vision. Ahead of me, Soma walked on as though nothing had happened.

"..." He said nothing, but I knew there were words to be spoken.

"..." I allowed my presence to be felt. It was a silent way of starting conversation.

"It always sucks." Soma started.

"Yeah?" I offered.

"Seeing someone die in front of you, no less a comrade."

I remained silent for a moment. "Yeah..." I concurred.

"Especially the first time." Soma did not have a hint of sympathy in his voice.

"Yeah..." I sighed. "And there's no getting used to it, either."

I nearly bumped into Soma, he had stopped so abruptly.

"Not your first time, is it?" He asked. I assumed this was him sounding interested.

"No where near it." My voice possibly giving the melancholic Soma a run for his money.

"So," He turned to face me. "What was so different about this time?"

He stood straight and looked me dead in the eye. I did not waver as I looked back into his.

"Before...I only watched since I didn't have the power to do anything." I went into my pocket and retrieved Eric's sunglasses. I saw the surprised expression on Soma's face. "And now..." I gripped the sunglasses tightly. "I have the power, but I couldn't use it. Something held me back...but I don't know what." I placed the sunglasses on my face and began to walk past Soma.

"That's not gonna happen again." I assured Soma.

"Four Ogretails, all herded in between those two platforms. Four Cocoon Maidens. One on ground level, two on the platforms near the Ogretails, and one off in the distance, but we'd be in its firing range."

I relayed the situation to Soma. He nodded as he contemplated a strategy. I looked at his God Arc. "How many hits until you take down a Maiden?" I asked, eyeing his Buster Blade.

"Three." He answered as though he was catching onto my plan.

"Maidens are weak to three of the four elements, as are Ogres. I can cover you while you hit the closest Cocoon Maiden."

"And if I'm outnumbered?" Soma asked, his tone cautious.

"Then haul ass back to me. We're outnumbered, but they're outsmarted."

I heard Soma let out a chuckle. "So, you gonna use that gun of yours, huh?"

I nodded. "I've been working on my aim. And besides..." I let the silence gain dominion for a second. "I'll be getting revenge for him by blasting away at some Ogretails."

Soma angled his head so he could give me a sidelong glance. "You've taken this to heart, haven't you?"

"No." I replied instantly. "I've taken it to mind. This world sucks for us humans, but I'll be damned if I let the Aragami sit pretty at the end of the world."

Soma looked ahead with a snort. "Agreed. Back me up." He took off across the dead terrain. I pushed my marvel at his speed aside, shifted my weapon into gun form, and took off after him. A few yards ahead of me, Soma looked over his shoulder. I gave him a nod, urging him forward like Sakuya did to me earlier on today.

He returned the nod and slid to a halt behind the Cocoon Maiden. He positioned himself and in a matter of seconds, his God Arc's bind was released, and it took a bite out of the Aragami. With only one hit, the Cocoon Maiden's ribcage swung open.

I remembered that it took me nearly ten hits to achieve the same effect.

Just behind the Maiden, two of the four Ogretails turned towards Soma who was just entering Burst Mode. '(Odd,)' I thought to myself. '(We should be out of their alert radius.)' I aimed my gun, looking down the barrel and through the plus-sign crosshairs. I pulled the trigger, and a blaze shot erupted from the barrel. It whizzed past Soma and hit the first Ogretail square in the face. I didn't let up there. Before it could let out a roar, six more shots put it out of its misery.

"Evasive manuvers!" Soma called out, hopping back just as a fire shell fizzled out where he was just standing. I looked up, and saw that the Cocoon Maidens on the two distant platforms had a further firing zone than expected. I heard wind whistling towards me; there was a fire shell headed my way and since my gun was out, I couldn't deploy my shield. Then again, I prefered doding over blocking, anyway. I dove forward, tucking and rolling away from the counter-fire of the Cocoon Maiden.

I remembered my mission with Sakuya; Maidens had a pretty high defense to long ranged attacks. "Soma!" I yelled. I looked over to where he was taking on an Ogretail. "Stick to the plan! Go for the Maidens, I'll get the Ogres!" I took aim at the Ogretail Soma was side-stepping away from and fired.

My gun recoiled, but nothing was fired. I tried again, thinking it may have been jammed. '(But Oracle Cells can't cause jams...)' I thought. I then remembered that even God Arc guns needed to be reloaded.

"Where's my cover fire?!" Soma roared, stepping back from the Ogretail.

"It seems I've emptied my gun!" I replied, just as annoyed as he was. I quickly went into my pocket and retrieved a small green capsule. Oracle Amples, O-Amples for short. P53 Bias Factor Oracle Cells that when consumed, gave God Eaters back Oracle Cells that they had discharged. I swallowed it, and instantly felt my Oracle cell stock, simplified as Oracle Points, replenish.

It was a feeling that I knew I'd have to get used to.

"Firing!" I yelled. Soma jumped over the Ogretail and headed towards the Cocoon Maidens in the distance. The Ogretail tried to turn towards him, but a few blaze shots to its flank stopped it. It dropped, and just as it hit the ground, I was beside it ready to devour.

Two Ogretails down, two more to go. Once Maiden down, three to go. Where were the other Ogretails? As I chambered the Aragami bullet I recieved from the Ogretail, I looked over it to see Soma pulling out of the hotzone. I delievered a few swift strikes to the Ogretail, ending with an Eat combo so that I could gather its materials swiftly.

I switched back to gun form and took aim at Soma. "I'm sending one over!" I let the Aragami bullet fall into the barrel and launched it over to Soma. It emerged as a white orb of light with a trail behind it, reminiscent of a shooting star, and hit Soma's God Arc. I immedietly saw him enter Burst Mode.

I also saw the look of surprise on his face. I was the first New-Type of the Far East Branch. Only now, did it hit me that everything I did would be a new experience not only for me, but for my 'comrades'. Soma wasn't one to let a good thing go to waste, I'll give him that much. He pivoted on his heel, and swung that massive balde of his. He hit both Ogretails, and in tandom, they hit the ground. Hard.

Soma raised his shield and stopped a fire shell from one of the Cocoon Maidens. "Damn it!" He yelled, noticing a second shell coming towards his ungarded side. He turned around to try to block in time...

Only to find me beside him with my shield already deployed. The fire shell bounced off of my shield uselessly and fizzled away. Soma looked at me through his periphrial.

"What happened to regrouping?" I asked smugly.

"We did." He snarked back. "Your little plan never mentioned how."

I felt a half grin form on my face. "Fair enough." Soma and I crouched low behind the Ogretails, using their still living bodies as shields as we began the devouring process. We both released the jaws at the same time; both Ogretails which were struggling to get up, stopped squirming. I chambered the bullet and entered Burst Mode. Soma, on the other hand, was still in his.

"That must be the Link Burst I looked up." Soma turned his attention to me, but kept his eyes on the Cocoon Maidens which were trying to lob shots over the dead Aragami. "It's more potent than normal Burst mode, and has priority over it as well." I shifted my sword to gun mode once more, and took aim at Soma. I saw his eyebrow raise.

"Relax." I fired a second Aragami Bullet at him. A pillar of light shot from him and his God Arc as his Link Burst was increased. "How does level two feel?"

Soma flexed his left hand as the corpses began to decompose. I swiftly ate from them, eager for materials. "Good." Soma replied before taking off faster than before. He headed to the closest Cocoon Maiden; he jumped once, then twice...amazingly...and was in front of it in not time. He smacked it with the flat side of his blade, causing it to become dizzy.

"What an eyesore." He remarked dully as his Buster Sword began to glow purple. In a few seconds and a flash of purple-black light, his Great Sword had gained an aura that nearly doubled its length. I was about fifty yeards away, and I could feel the power radiating off of Soma. It was almost inhuman...

He brought his sword down, and that ws the end of that Cocoon Maiden.

Oh crap, there were four of them.

Soma suddenly skid backwards, right off of the highrise he had been standing on. I took aim at him once more, and fired away. A green orb of light homed in on him, and he was emmersed in a green glow for a few seconds.

"Hey thanks." Soma called out after I healed him. I couldn't tell if he were serious, or mocking me. I shifted my Arc back into sword form and jogged to his side.

"You want this one?" I asked casually.

"Sure." He replied. "But, you be the bait."

I gave him an 'are you serious' look.

"I'm your superior, aren't I?"

Soma and I met with Advisor Tsubaki to give the report. She already knew the news since when Soma radioed in for extraction, he requested a clean-up and burial team to come to the area. It was a morale drain, watching the team disembark as Soma and I boarded the helicopter. I could have sworn I had heard a whisper about a 'Death God' as well...

I went straight to my room once we reached the Den. I changed out of my fire-singed formal outfit, chucking the irrepairable clothes into the garbage, and changed into baggy shorts and a tank top. I hit my bed hard, and checked my communicator for emails.

Aside from post-mission messages, nothing caught my -

_Bzzt! Bzzt!_

I opened the new message. It was from a God Eater I had yet to meet.

**Subject: Hi, I'm Brendan Bardell from the Defense Unit.**

**Message: Sorry that I couldn't send you a greeting earlier. When you need more fighters, just let me know. Well, if you can consider me as a great asset...**

I had looked up every God Eater in the Far East Branch by now. Brendan was a Buster Sword user like Soma was, and seemed like a decent guy. However, if was the last part of his message tha got to me.

**Sorry for Eric, but don't feel responsible for it...**

If only he knew...

I cycled throguh some of my older mail; it was mainly just introductory stuff anyway. I threw my communicator across the room, and it landed on the couch. I sighed heavily and forced myself to sleep...

"_...brother!"_

_The young girl's voice called out to me again. I already knew which memory this was. I was fourteen and far from the Fenrir Far East Branch's Outter Ghetto by now. My "Leader's" younger sister had taken a liking to me and decided I was her older brother as well._

"_Big brother!"_

_I hated it. "Hey, what did I tell you about calling me that?" I conmplained._

_She only giggled. Funny; I knew exactly what she looked like but I couldn't see her in this particular dream. "You said not to do it, big brother."_

_I wrinkled my nose. "But you still do it anyway."_

"_Leader tells you not to wander away from the camp, but **you **do it anyway." She countered._

_I had been caught by a seven year old. "What do you want from me anyway?"_

"_I want to play!" She cheered._

"_No." I snapped back, annoyed, "I'm busy cleaning the weaponry."_

"_Aw, but come on, big-"_

"_I said stop calling me that!" I yelled, attracting the attention of the others._

_She only looked up at me, her eyes large and filled with tears. "But...why?"_

"_Becuase I'm not your big brother. Our Leader is."_

"_But..."_

"_And you're not my little sister." I looked away from her, my eyes closed. "I don't have a little sister."_

_She remained silent. There were footsteps behind her. Our Leader..._

"_Well, if it isn't my little sister and her new big brother!"_

_I turned to him, my face red with rage. "Damn it all, you too?!"_

"_What?" Leader grinned. "We're all brothers and sisters here, Silver."_

_I snarled at him and threw down the weapons. "Maintanence is done. I'm out."_

"_Don't wander too far this time, okay Silver?"_

_I gritted my teeth as I walked away. So he knew too..._

"_Why doesn't he want me to call him big brother, Leader?" I heard her ask..._

I forced my eyes open. I was staring at the ceiling in my room, that much I knew. But, still more than half asleep, another memory came to me. A flashback, within a flashback.

"_We're going to be alright, okay?"_

_She only nodded._

"_Nothing will happen to us. I promise."_

_She nodded again._

"_I'm here for you, okay?"_

_More nodding. I knew she was terrified._

"_Fire!" Someone yelled. I looked up; the torch...the oil...it was my fault._

"_It's Fenrir! The God Eaters are – oh my g-"_

_Fire. And it was all my fault._

_Screams, most of them were not human._

_An explosion. We were tossed around in the blast._

_Where was she? She needed me. I needed her._

_Aragami. I didn't believe they were real then, but now..._

_I tightened my right hand into a fist_

and punched myself out of the dream.

Groggy, I strained myself to sit up. I rubbed my cheek, and noticed a flashing light in the distant darkness. "My comm.?" I spoke to no one as I swung my legs off of the bed. I lumbered towards the couch and fell onto it, gripping my communicator on hand as I sprawled out. I had to admit, it was rather comfortable.

I checked the new message I had recieved after I checked the time. It was almost six am. That didn't surprise me, I was trained to wake up this early. But what did catch me off guard was the mention of a transferring God Eater.

"Someone to replace Eric already?" I questioned the darkness of my room. A thought then popped into my head; I was still a recruit myself, why was I being informed of a transferring God Eater? It's not like I was supposed to babysit them or anything. I checked the sender of the email, just in case there was some form of mistake.

"Lindow?" No sooner had I spoken his name, I recieved a second message form him.

**Hey rookie. Don't go thinking that you're getting this message by accident. I'm sending you the info on these newcomers so that you'll know what to expect when they get here. I'm going to be really busy in the days to come, and I need someone to watch over them for me. Think you can handle it, rookie?**

"Tch." I exhaled through my teeth. Orders were orders, I figured, but why would Lindw choose me of all people? Besides, hadn't he heard about...

**Oh, and don't let what happened to Eric get you down. Sadly enough, this is a normal thing among us God Eaters. But you survived, didn't you? That must mean you have a purpose in life, right? Maybe this is it, New-Type.**

And that was Lindow's message in its entirety. I lifted my communicator over my shoulder, ready to throw it, when it beeped once more. I brought it to eye level to read the newest message.

**And don't get used to all of my messages being this long, either. Seeya around.**

I sighed; how could Lindow jump back and forth between serious and ridiculous so easily? I then spent the next fifteen minutes re-reading the messages from Lindow, glancing at the message from Brendan every now and again as well. No matter how much they said not to, I couldn't help but let Eric's death get to me. I was right there; I had jumped back, away from the Ogretail and only watched as it ate him.

Why didn't I swing? Why didn't I try to save him?

_Because it wasn't your life in danger._

My subconscious answers my question for me. Of course; I had spent most of my life fending for myself, even when I was grouped around tons of people, the only person's safety I cared about was my own. I gripped my communicator tightly; things hadn't always been that way. _I _haven't always been that way. There was a time where I cared for other people, but that felt like a completely different person from the one who stood in the Fenrir Far East Branch's rookie section at this moment.

I had changed, yes; drastically, even, but why was it that only now I was questioning myself? Was it because I had considered Eric a friend? No, that's impossible, I'd only met him today. Was it because in the same moment I met him, I watched him die? No, that was just as impossible as the first – I'd seen people who I'd only just met die before, but it never made me do so much as bat an eyelash. Was it Schicksal, somehow manipulating me from afar? Had he drugged my rations?

_It isn't because of anyone but yourself. You just stopped caring about everything else. About everyone else. As long as you make it through another day, everyone else can burn for all you care._

And yesterday was no different; when I stood there, watching Eric get ripped to pieces, that feeling that washed over me wasn't fear or disgust, or even guilt.

It was relief.

**Mission Iron Rain: Complete.**

_Anyone else smell that? I know I do. Character development. Well, this is chapter five, one of the last chapters for a while that I'll have to keep on referring back to the game in order to get dialouge down. So that can only mean one thing; filler time!_

_Now, don't got thinking that I'll be posting a hundred chapters of just pure irrelavence. Actually, don't go thinking that I'll be posting a hundred chapters of ANYTHING. By 'filler', I mean I'll be writing the first few chapters that connect the canon plotline to the non-canon plot line that I still don't have an idea for yet. _

_Wait, don't go and panic since I said I don't have an idea; that's usually when I make my best work. Is there anything else I need to...oh right! As per the OCs, I know that it's been five chapters already and the only OC thus far is X, but you can't really count him, he's 'Protagonist' afterall. But worry not, my dear readers, OCs are going to be introduced very, very soon! Thanks for reading, and I hope you stick around until the end!_

_Stay frosty, everyone!_

_X.K._


	6. Chapter 6

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Well, here we are everyone, the first chapter of 'Don't Run Away' that is almost, kind of, completely original! What I mean is, this is the first chapter that ISN'T a direct scene from the game, but in order to prevent plot holes, there'll be a few call-backs to the 'earlier' missions experienced by X07. Why am I doing this, you may ask? Well, I have one too many possible ideas swimming around in my head, and if I don't set a course this very second, I may end up losing this fic all together. It's happened before, and I refuse to let it happen again, especially with a fic such as this one that hasn't even started yet._

_Moving on, here's chapter six!_

_P.S.: Am I the only one reading all of the character's lines in their in-game voices?_

**Chapter 6 – A Day Of Rest**

"You're what?" My voice was even, but anyone with experience could hear the disbelief in the undertone.

"I'm ordering you to take the day off, Rookie." Tsubaki repeated, her eyes on her clipboard instead of on me.

"Why?" I questioned, although it was against my better judgement. "I'm not injured or suffering from any form of trauma. Hell if anything, I'm on a streak."

It was true. It had been two weeks since the 'Iron Rain' mission, and I had gone on a ton of missions and completed every single one of them without a hitch.

"That's exactly why I'm ordering you to rest up today." Tsubaki flipped a page on her clipboard for a moment, then returned to the cover page. "You've been overworking yourself, rookie, and we don't need our first and only New-Type dying prematurely."

I exhaled through clenched teeth.

Two days after the 'Iron Rain' mission, Kota and I were assigned to an area known as the Tranquil Temple in order to take out a Kongou. It was a monkey-like Aragami with pipe organs that it used to fire condensed blasts of air at its foes – i.e. Myself and Kota.

"_It's in our hands now!" I yelled, sending Kota three Team Bullets at once._

"_Alright!" he practically cheered. His God Arc's maximum output peeked, and he let out a barrage of flashy and effective bullets. The Kongou dropped from the assault, its previous injuries plus this new attack was to much for it to handle._

"_I'm out of bullets!" Kota yelled out, emitting a black and purple glow as he remained in Link-Burst Mode. _

"_What?! How?!" I roared back, running past him and at the Kongou. _

"_What do you mean, 'How?!', I fired all of 'em!" He retorted, drawing back in order to wait for his God Arc to create more Oracle Cells._

"_You only fired ten shots!" I shouted over the sound of my God Arc entering its devouring state._

"_Yeah, well, those ten shots worked, didn't they?!" Kota shot back, sounding defesive._

"_Learn to watch that, Kota!" I scolded him, storing an Aragami bullet. I whipped arounf to Kota and fired another Team Bullet at him, prolonging his Burst mode._

"_Now," I yelled, facing the Kongou once more as it tried to get up. "Let's take this thing down!"_

"Is that really the reason, Advisor Tsubaki?" I asked, my voice low.

Tsubaki's eyes shot towards me, her face still angled towards her clipboard. "What are you insinuating, rookie?"

"I'm pretty sure something is going on that you're not telling me." I had no hint of backing down in my voice.

"You wouldn't be wrong about that," Tsubaki mused, giving me a smile. "But then again, you're still a recruit so no one has to tell you anything but what to do. Am I right, X07?"

I clenched my teeth and looked away; damn her authority and hot voice. "Yes ma'am." I swallowed that defeat. It tasted so bitter.

"Cheer up." Tsubaki told me, turning away. "Enjoy your days of thoughtlessness while you can, New-Type." She walked to the elevator and got on. Inside, I noticed Lindow wave at her and then at me. I nodded back to him before the doors closed.

"_**The new recruit giving you a hard time, sis?" Lindow asked in his joking manner.**_

"_**Don't call me 'sis' when we're at the Den, Corporal Amamiya."**_

"_**Oh, sorry about that sis – Tsubaki, ma'am."**_

"_**(sigh) And not really; X07 is much more intuitive than I had first thought. He is fully aware of how the chain of command works around here, but he challenges his superiors without any form of subtlty or humility."**_

"_**Yup." Lindow laughed. "He's a real piece of work, isn't he?"**_

"_**Lindow, that attitude sounds like you're encouraging him."**_

"_**If you mean encouraging him to become a great God Eater, then yeah."**_

_**The two of them remained quite for a while.**_

"_**He does show great skill in battle, doesn't he?" Tsubaki admired.**_

"_**Eh, I've seen better." Lindow joked. "But he's not bad...for a recruit."**_

_**Tsubaki wasn't deterred by her yonuger brother's comment. **__**"He reports in an orderly manner after missions, and he hasn't failed a single one yet. He may even be of leader caliber." **_

"_**So...you're firing me?" Lindow asked, mocking depression.**_

"_**That's not what I meant and you know it." Tsubaki sighed.**_

_**There was another short silence between them.**_

"_**Man, just how long is this elevator ride, anyway?" Lindow commented mainly to himself. "Oh yeah, the rookie. **__**He's a great fighter, no doubt about that. But it's his other skills I worry about." **_

"_**Other skills?" Tsubaki asked, curious.**_

"_**Mhm. I saw him on one of the terminals not too long ago, and I figured that I'd offer him a hand."**_

"_**And?" Tsubaki inquired, keeping her mind open.**_

"_**Imagine my surprise when I found him viewing report files from almost ten years ago, as well as information on his superiors."**_

_**Tsubaki's eyebrow raied. "But those files are off-limits to new recruits."**_

"_**Exactly." Lindow replied, his tone serious. "Oh!" He chirped, his voice relaxed **__**again. "Don't say anything about it, alright? I promised I wouldn't rat him out!"**_

_**Tsubaki's face dropped to a look of disappointment. "Oh really?"**_

_**Lindow nodded; "Yeah. I'd keep my mouth shut for his beer rations."**_

"_**He's eighteen, Lindow, he doesn't GET beer rations!" Tsubaki informed, annoyed.**_

"_**Not yet, at least. But once he's old enough, or high enough in the ranks, I'll be swimming in sweet, sweet, brew for days!" Lindow let out a hardy laugh as Tsubaki held her forehead in shame.**_

I snorted out a sneeze. Was someone talking about me?

Since I had the day off, much to my own annoyance, I decided to take a look into the lesser things I had put off in my first month here. '(It's been a whole month, huh?)' I marveled in my mind. The days were blurring together already, new memories buzzing and blurring in with the old. I yawned as I walked to my room, preparing myself for the boring day ahead.

'(Two o'clock sharp. July first.)' I noted the time and date on my watch. I entered the passcode to open my room door and stepped inside.

"Hello, X07."

I rushed forward with my arms up to my face in a boxer's guard and shot my right fist forward. I stopped a mere centimeter away from the person's nose, and instantly regretted I didn't sock them a good one.

"My, aren't we on high alert today?"

I heavily considered letting the punch connect, even if it wouldn't be as powerful, but let my fist and guard drop. "Schicksal." I spat, not bothering to hide my anger. "To what do I owe this univited and soon to be retaliated against invasion of privacy?"

"Just checking up on my – our... first ever New-Type." His grin made my stomach knot. "How was your first month as a God Eater?"

"Probably the same as yours." I feigned surprise. "Oh wait, you're much too yellow to be on a battlefield."

Schicksal closed his eyes and let out a small chuckle. "Well played, X07, I'll give you that. Nevertheless, I come here extending a hand of good faith."

"Feel free to take that hand right back, Schicksal." I snarked. "You faith can only be but so 'good'."

"While I understand, and even respect your inherent hatred of me, can you at least try and hold a civil conversation?" Schicksal was ticked off, but hid it well.

"I am being civil." I answered cooly. "I didn't knock you out, now did I?"

Schicksal sighed, finally realizing that he was making no progress. "Fair enough."

"No about this so-called faith?" I inquired cautiously.

"Ah yes. We will be recieving a new God-Eater tomorrow. Well, to be more precise, an Old-Type God Eater will be transferring to this particular section of the Fenrir Far East Branch from one of our more...distant sections."

I gave Schicksal a shrug. "And I should care, why?" I was interested in this information, but there was no point in letting Schicksal know that.

"Well, one, because technically, this God Eater is your superior -"

"Bull. I was in this Branch before them."

"Not quite; they were here first – just not a part of this particular section."

"..." I hated the idea of having to take orders from a new superior.

"But don't worry," Schicksal smiled widely. My stomach's stomach tightened... "They won't be ordering you around, since as of now the two of you are of the same rank."

I was so surprised, I didn't even comment on Schicksal knowing my thoughts, "I'm being promoted?"

"No, they're being demoted." Schicksal replied in a rare bout of sarcasm. "Of course. You are now the rank of Private, X07."

I wasn't affected by the 'good news'. "You have another reason for telling me this, Schicksal?"

Schicksal smiled again and began walking towards me. I balled my fist; c'mon, give me a reason...

"I wanted to tell you this now, before you read about it in files that you aren't meant to view. Try to refrain from hacking into official Fenrir databases form now on, will you?"

I remained inert as Schicksal opened my door. "Give me your personal laptop, Schicksal, and we have a deal."

Schicksal laughed, probably genuinly amused. "I think I would enjoy watching you attempt to hack into my personal information. I'll be sure to give you the chance someday..." The door closed behind Schicksal. "Silver." His voice carried into the hall.

My eyes widened in recognition. I turned around, pushing the door open. It may have been a sliding door, but it could still be opened manually should the need arise. This was one of those times. "Damn him." I uttered, looking down the empty hallway. "He's gone..."

_**Later that afternoon...**_

"Sorry, X, but Tsubaki forbade me from giving you your God Arc."

I sucked my teeth, and that caused Licca to give me a sad look. "I'm not upset with you," I clarified. "You're just following orders." I exhaled sharply, removing my sunglasses and rubbing the bridge of my nose with my thumb and index finger. "It's just that..."

I paused to form the words properly. Licca stopped typing on her terminal and gave me her full attention. "I had such great momentum, and now everyone is vying to destroy it."

Licca smiled, and made her way over to me. "Well, everyone's just making sure you don't push yourself too hard and end up hurt...or worse." Licca's smile dropped when I turned away from her with a single shoulder shrug. "Hey," she rose her voice, attracting my attention. ""You're our first New-Type, a valuable commodity for Fenrir and the human race. Stop acting so grouchy and enjoy your day off."

I could feel th elook of surprise on my face. I forced my eye to close behind my sunglasses and blinked a few times to regain my composure. "You're right." I sighed, allowing myself to lighten up. "Hey, don't I owe you lunch?"

"_Hey, this way, this way!" Sakuya called me over to her. She had been watching a news report, but I just missed it. "I'm hearing good things about you. You're exceeding expectations, they can't praise you enough. But uh, try not to overdo it. You see the greatest god eaters tend to die young." Sakuya advised me._

"_Meaning I've got a long life ahead of me, is that what you're saying?" Lindow appeared out of the ether at the base fo the steps._

_Sakuya let out a chuckle. "Keeping exceutive's hours as usual?"_

"_Sure, 'cause I'm an executive." Lindow spoke in a dis-heartening tone. "Alright, another day of fun work, guys. It' gonna be the three of us today. I'll take the lead, and Sakuya you're the back-up. And you're the cammando. Show us what a new-type can do remember your trainning." Lindow's communicator went off. He looked at the screen, his face darkening._

"_Anything else?" Sakuya asked. I detected that she wanted to take Lindow's mind off of whatever message he just recieved._

"_Well, uh... don't die, alright?" Lindow ordered 'valliantly'._

"_You're going out, too, X?" Licca asked me, as I grabbed my God Arc. Lindow and Sakuya waved at me as they went on ahead. I gave Licca a nod as I hefted my God Arc onto my shoulder. "I see..." She sounded...disappointed? "Well, let's eat lunch together when you get back."_

"I never did take you up on that offer." I looked Licca in the eyes, wondering if she still -

"I remember." She spoke sharply. "I waited for you until diner and you never showed up."

I adjusted my sunglasses; "Well, I was in the infirmary... the mission wasn't as easy for me as expected." I wasn't proud of my injuries...stupid Gboro-Gboros...

Licca sighed and gave a mock shrug. "Well, you survived." Licca then stood upright and returned to her terminal. "I'm sorry, but I'll have to take a raincheck on that offer. I'm a bit swamped today."

I began to take a step forward and lifted a hand.

"Sorry, but this stuff is a bit too advanced for you. You can give me a hand with something else another time." I nodded, understanding that God Arcs were her thing, while combat was mine.

"Good luck with that, Licca. I'll see you around then."

"Oh X! Wait!" I stopped short of a turn and turned back to Licca. "I've nearly completed that weapon you wanted. The Tail Sword, right?" I gave her a nod. "This day off is good for both of us; it wouldn't have had been ready for today if you had a mission scheduled. But I'll be sure to get it done first thing in the morning tomorrow."

I gave Licca a wave. "Don't overwork youself, Licca. That's a God Eater's job."

Licca was clearly caught off guard by my comment, so she only focused on her task.

Satisfied with this, I turned around and headed for the elevator. I got to the buttons before I noticed footsteps behind me. Very fast footsteps. I pivoted on my heel, ready to react -

Licca stopped on a dime in front of me, no doubt noticing the concentrated look on my face. She waited until my guard was down – both metaphorically, and literally as I put my hands to my side – to speak. "God Eaters don't overwork themselves. They do enough to get the job done. You should spend more time around Tatsumi. He could teach you a thing or two."

Licca turned around on her heel and walked back towards her terminal. She left me drawing a blank, and missing that short victory I tasted. Ever since I had began helping her with some minor repairs here and there, everytime before I departed, we would try to stump the other with a comment or a joke or something.

It was an easy way for me to feign friendship with her.

"Oh, and email me next time if you can't keep plans!" She shouted as I borded the elevator. "Even if you _are _nursing Gboro-Gboro bite marks on your butt." I saw her wave as the doors closed, a playful smile on her face.

Stupid Gboro-Gboros...

I was back in my room – this time I pressed my ear again my door, just incase there was someone waiting for me again. I also sniffed the air a few times, just to see if I could catch a whiff of Schicksal's ego still floating about in my room. As I typed away on my terminal, keeping an eye on the tree shaped air freshener, I decided to invest in a new outfit.

It was then that I read the email.

"Dear X07," I beagn outloud.

"In regards to your recent time spent on the firing range, as well as the input submitted by your comrades, we at Fenrir HQ are proud to present you with the complete male Sniper Outfit in the color of your choice. Please fill out the attatched form and send it into HQ immedietly. Shipping should take no longer than a few hours.

Speak of the devil. A promotion, a new blade, and now a new outfit. I really was making progress as a God Eater, and it had only been a month.

Only thirty days since Schicksal had me tied up underground and ready to be buried had I said 'no'.

Where did the time go?

I filled out the form, ordering the Sniper Suit in black, and emailed it in. Before the day was throguh, I'd have a new outfit. A Private shouldn't be wearing rookie clothing, afterall.

Rookie. There was a transferring God Eater coming to this Branch – this section – tomorrow. Perhaps I should speak with Tatsumi O'Mori and all the other God Eaters. The last thing I'd want would be to be less populat than the newbie.

Even if I had no intentions of being these people's 'friend'.

_**Later that evening...**_

"Oh, hey rookie!" Tatsumi, Defense Squad leader, Second Unit captain and Short Sword uer, greeted me heartily as I stepped off of the elevator. "Oh, nice threads!" He commented on my new Sniper Suit.

"Didn't you get the message?" Karel, member of the Defense Squad and Sniper, butted in. "He's been promoted to Private. Not bad in just a month."

"Oh, you have?" Kanon chirped. "Congratulations, X!"

"That was awfully fast," Brendan smiled at me. "Good job, X."

Tatsumi had assembled everyone like I had asked him to – everyone but the First Unit, apparently. It seemed on my day off, everyone else was busy. That was fine with me; more time to forge false friendships with the more...background characters.

"Thank you all." I stated after everyone gave me their congratulations. I took a seat next to Shun and looked around the lobby for dramatic effect. "It's been a pleasure working with you all, and I hope we all can keep it up for years to come."

Tatsumi laughed. "Listen to you, sounding all professional. Take it easy, X, take a load off."

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask you." Shun began. "Just why the heck are you called 'X07' anyway? Isn't that the name of a sector in the Outter Ghetto?"

I nodded. "The area I was born in."

I noticed everyone tense up. Just what had I missed in my ten year absence?

"You were born in the Outter Ghetto?" Gina, the eye-patch wearing member of the third unit asked. When I nodded, she let out a huff. "And in sector X07, no less. Wow..." She laughed, shooting me a mysterious look with her one eye. "Maybe there's something special about you, 'X'."

I looked at her and then everyone else. "What the hell are all of you talking about?" My voice was even no longer. I was irritated that everyone was being so damned criptic about that part of the Outter Ghetto, and even more cryptic about me. It seemed as though they caught on, and all became quiet with very solemn looks on their faces.

"Well, is anyone going to spit it out, or do I have to go to the higher ups?" I ordered.

"Well...the-the thing is..." Kanon began. "It's kind of...well..."

"Well?!" I urged, my voice raising. I truly _despised _it when people beat around the bush.

"Well," Brendan cut in, seemingly rescuing Kanon. "It isn't spoken of often, mainly for confidentiality reasons."

"What the hell happened?" I asked. "What, was it raized by the Aragami?"

"No one really knows." Gina exhaled as thought she were bored.

"What do you mean -"

"X07," Shun began, addressing me. "Sector X07 is officially no longer existant as of ten years ago."

Ten years...? The same time that I...

"Aragami did annihilate that secotr," Karel spoke callously. "But then...something annihilated the Aragami _and _the sector they were in. There were no survivors."

"So you can understand out surprise when you said you were born there." Tatsumi added, sounding suspicious. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine."I retaliated harshly. "And I'm not crazy. Are there any leads?"

Everyone shoo their heads, but it was Brendan who spoke up. "Eyewitnesses say that there was an explosion of sorts...and then, something stopped that explosion...and finally, nothing."

"What...the hell?" I managed. "An explosion, something stopped it and then...nothing?"

Everyone nodded, but Karel spoke up. "Not even dust. Not even a crater."

I nodded. Kanon walked voer to me and sat on my right. "Are you sure you're alright?" She offered, placing her hand on my shoulder.

"I said I wasn't crazy." I repeated, my voice once more its normal monotone.

"Well, even if you were crazy," Kanon began. "You just learned that you family is gone. That can't be-"

"I never had a family." I spat, wrath in my voice. "Never had, never will. Never needed one. Now, if you'd be so kind as to let me leave, and never speak of this again."

Kanon gasped, removing her hand from my shoulder. I stood up and walked out of the lobby. I didn;t bother with the elevator; as per protocol of all bulding with elevators, there was a stairwell not too far from the elevator shaft. I took it up to my room. I didn't need to look over my shoulder to know that there were eyes on my back...

_**Elsewhere...**_

"A young man with no past, an unclear and uncertain present, and an even more so unknowable and difficult future. Not to mention that we'll be recieving several more piecese of the puzzle." Dr. Sakaki adjusted his glasses as he watched X07 go into the stairwell.

"There are so many stars to gaze upon...wouldn't you agree, Johannes?"

_And that is the rushed chapter six! Now, when I say 'rushed' I mean I had to get this chapter out because this counts as the second half of the bridge that connects plot canon and created canon, and I also felt that had I not completed this bridge now, well...it may have never gotten done._

_Really quick, I'll explain a few things._

_The exchange between Lindow and Tsubaki occured on the elevator shorlty after X07 and Tsubaki parted ways. It was written in bold/itallics to differentiate it from a flashback, or a message. Starting next chapter, there will be a number of changes that I will be SURE to announce in the opening credits. Credits? Author's notes? You know what I mean – the foreword! That's what it's called!_

_OCs will begin to make their debuts as of chapter seven, the next chapter. Now, I still don't have a particular order as to how the appear in story, so feel free to give me a few ideas on how you think this should go down._

_I know I have been being a bit descriptive with a lot of the details (settings, charcters etc...) but with the influx of characters coming in, I'll have to reserve the serious details for the bigger things that I don't want you guys to miss. How I didvine what needs how much attention...well, I'll figure that out when I get there, right?_

_Chapter six was kind of short, wasn't it? Well, seeing as how there was no fighting in it, I decided to cut back on length and focus a bit more on story and setting up things for the future. It's important to have a solid base when it comes to writing. Besides, action without reason is pontless! Remember that, everyone._

_That's it for now, folks. Thanks again for reading, and I want you all to know that this is only the begginning! Stay frosty, everyone!_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Phew. A double update not too long ago. Bet no one saw that one coming, huh? I sure as shootin' know I didn't. Well, let's not waste anytime and jump right into chapter seven!_

_...After these messages: One, starting with this chapter, 'Don't Run Away' will officially be written in third-person narrative format, instead of first person. This means the only 'I's' in the upcoming chapters will be when charcters are referencing themselves! Secondly, the first OC makes their debut this chapter. Let's see if it'll be yours!_

_Speaking of OCs, all slots are now...officially...CLOSED! Thank you to everyone who submitted an OC – especially those of you who took the time to put up with my slightly picky standards. And kudos to those of you who worked twice as hard on your OCs just for my fanfiction. You know who you guys are. Thank you for your support!_

**Chapter Seven – Kinaia Tsumi**

**Mission: Crocodile One**

X07 awoke, groggier than the day that he had been captured by Director Johannes von Schicksal. He rubbed his right hand over his face in an attempt to wake himself up, but he only succeeded in exhausting energy that he simply did not have.

'(Damn these nightmares.)' He thought to himself, doing so making him even more tired. '(I hardly got any sleep at all.)' He rolled over in bed, weaily lifting his arm and reaching for his communicator. He checked the time, blinking into the light a few times.

His face lost all exhaustion as his eyes widened. "What the hell?!" He exclaimed. "Why are there only ten minutes until it's one pm?!" There was a banging at his door.

"Hey X!" Kota's voice was muffled but still clear. "Tsubaki's really pissed with you! She made me come get you while she's introducing the newbie to everyone!"

X groaned; this was not going to be his day. He just knew it. "I'm...up..." He replied under his breath, positive that Kota didn't hear him. Kota now knocked on the door carefully.

"You should see her, X." Kota's voice was sly. "She's a total cutie! Definitely your type, too!" On the opposite side of the door, Kota jumped back as he heard footsteps approach.

The door slid open, revealing a very tired looking and upset X. "I'm up." X carried a towel, toothbrush and his new Sniper Suit. "And Kota." X neared Kota's face for dramatic flair. "Never wake me up like that again, especially when it invovles some girl that I haven't even met yet, let alone seen."

"Sorry man." Kota apologized. "Guess I got a little carried away?"

X stood over Kota for sometime.

"Hey X," Kota pleaded. "You mind brushing your teeth? That morning breath is kind -ah!" Kota let out a yell as X pushed him to the floor with one finger.

"Tell Tsubaki I'll be down there in fifteen minutes."

_**Twenty five minutes later...**_

"Fifteen minutes, Private X07?" Tsubaki scolded as X stood erect in the lobby.

"I uh..." he cleared his throat. "Fell asleep in the shower."

Tsubaki became eeriely quiet. "For how long?"

"..." X cleared his throat and spoke low. "Fifteen minutes..."

Tsubaki didn't even move.

"It uh, it won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't." Tsubaki then gave X a smirk. "See, you were more tired than you expected." X stiffened up. "Something wrong, Private?"

"I'm only tired because you made me take the day off." X remarked. "Ma'am." He swiftly added. "I work better without breaks, unless absolutely neccesary."

Tsubaki's smirk grew. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Private. Now...go and track down the newbie and introduce yourself."

X's posture fell to natural. "You mean...they're not around?"

Tsubkai lost her smirk. "Well they were at twelve hundred hours when everyone was supposed to be assembled and meet them-"

"Understood, Advisor Tsubaki." X quickly cut in, standing at attention once more. "I'll do as ordered."

"Very good, Private." Tsubaki's half-smirk returned. "Now hop to it!"

Kota giggled outloud as X turned away from Tsubaki. "Good going there, Private!" Kota waved to X. X narrowed his eyes at Kota, who was able to feel the chill even from behind his sunglasses.

"Kota Fujiki!" Kota shot up right, face to the ceiling, at the sound of Tsubaki's voice. "You are to accompany and aid Private X07 in finding the new God Eater. Undrestood?"

"Yes ma'am!" Kota responded, his voice borderline terror. "Hey, X, wait up!" He called after X. X allowed himself self a smug grin. '(At least the superiors have seemed to take a liking to me.)' He thought to himself. He did not slow down as Kota jogged after him...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"Hey X," Kota began as they waited for the elevator. "I just realized something."

X remained silent.

"Here we are, going out to look for the new recruit -"

"She's not a new recruit." X corrected. "She's a transfer."

Kota put his hands up defensively. "My bad," he spoke dramatically. "And you-"

"I don't even know what she looks like, let alone her name, right?"

Kota gasped. "Whoa...freaky. How'd you know what I was gonna say?"

"It was obvious." X snarked. "Just as obvious as how we'll find Kinaia."

Kota stepped back from X. "How'd you even know her name?!" Kota yelled, amazed.

"Don't worry about it." X spoke in his typical monotone. '(Tch...Lindow had better not be waiting for a thank you...)'

Kota relaxed, narrowing his eyes at X. "So you're gonna keep me in the dark, eh?"

"Pretty much."

"Don't be so casual about it!"

"..."

"And I've lost him." Kota hung his head and shoulders. He suddenly perked up, realizing that they weren't headed to the rookie section. "Uhm, X...where are we headed?"

X sighed deeply. "If Kinaia was instated to this sector only hours ago, then her God Arc would just be arriving. If we want to find her quickly, then the best place to be..."

The elevator doors opened up. X walked out briskly and Kota came fumbling after him. Licca looked up, accompanied by an unfamiliar face. Beside Licca was a young woman of average height; she had blue hair tied into a loose ponytail by a red ribbon, green eyes that now looked towards X and Kota, and white skin that shone in the lights of the God Arc Storage Area.

"You must be Kinaia Tsumi." X stated, his voice deep and even. He walked over to her, his eyes behind his sunglasses looking her up and down. She wore a blue halter top and matching female sniper pants. She wore a slightly ragged gray scarf around her neck, even indoors. '(Must be valuable to her.)' X guessed, but he did not allow that to be a final answer. X noted, however. That she wore regular cloth instead of shoes on her feet, and a navy blue windbreaker that looked custom made.

"And you must be Private X07," Kinaia replied in a fairly deep and exotic voice. "The one who slept in?"

X showed no signs of acknowledgement. Kota behind him, however, placed a hand to his mouth to stiffle his laugh. "I am Private X07," X spoke over Kota's laugh. "But feel free to call me X."

"Sure." Kinaia replied with a smile. Behind X, Kota felt his face warm up. "Oh, Kota, hi!" Kinaia waved to the gunner.

Kota waved back. "Yo!"

"I almost didn't see you there." Kinaia laughed.

Kota sighed. "D-don't worry about it..." Kota's voice wavered. "I'll just be...back here..."

Kinaia turned her attention to X once more. "So, you're the rumored New-Type, making waves in every section of the Far East Branch, huh?"

"I'm the only New-Type in the Far East Branch that I know of." X replied. "But I don't know about making 'waves'." X then noticed Licca looking between him and Kinaia. "Oh, Licca," X began, getting Licca to give her full attention. "First; Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, X." Licca replied with a small smile.

"Secondly; how did the weapon crafting go?" X asked, approaching Licca at her terminal. "Excuse me." X said, waiting for Kinaia to move. Kinaia stepped to the side, then walked towards Kota, taking X's previous spot.

"Well," Licca began. "The Ogretail materials you brought in..."

"Well," Kinaia murmurred. "He's certainly chivalrous." Kota, who now stood beside her let out a laugh.

"Yeah. I taught him well, didn't I?"

"I was being sarcastic." Kinaia joked.

"Oh...well uh..." Kota cleared his throat. "Shame on you, X!" He yelled. Both X and Licca stopped speaking and looked at Kota. Both he and Kinaia sweat-dropped.

"Kota, I was joking." Kinaia let out a nervous giggle.

"Oh..." Kota looked between her and X. "Oh!" He laughed nervously. "So was I! Carry on, Private!" X looked between Kota who was saluting him, and Kinaia who was shaking her head, before continuing his conversation with Licca.

"Yeesh..." Kota exhaled, relieved. "The guy has this...intimidating aura, doesn't he?"

Kinaia nodded her head. "But that's only if you let it get to you."

Kota looked to her, disbelief in his eyes. "You're joking again, aren't you?"

Kinaia shook her head. "He's only as intimidating as you let him be."

Kota scoffed. "Say that when he pushes you to the floor using only his little finger..."

"What was that?" Kinaia asked, not hearing Kota.

"Nothing, nothing!" He waved his hands until Kinaia shrugged it off. The two stood there in silence as they watched Licca and X interact. '(He seems to be getting really chummy with her.)' Kota thought to himself. He cast a quick side glance at Kinaia. '(Maybe she _isn't _X's type! That would mean that I'm clear for take-off!)'

Kinaia noticed Kota looking at her. He was terrible at being subtle. "Something the matter, Kota?"

Kota staggered as though he had been struck. "Nope!" He replied cheerily. "But uh-" He gulped before continuing. "If you've got nothing to do-"

The sound of two simultaneous beeps cut him off. Both X and Kinaia checked their communicators. They both closed them at the same time, and looked up at each other.

"So, it looks like we're going into battle together, X." Kinaia spoke in a partially cheerful, partially determined voice.

X only nodded to her, his face set in neutral.

"Oh?" Licca cut in; X turned his head towards her. "What's the mission?"

"It's called Crocodile One." X explained. "A single Gboro-Gboro is causing havoc at the Sunken Grid. It's accompanied by Ogretails." X then looked back to Kinaia. "It looks like command's taking its newest members for a test run."

Kinaia nodded back to X. "Looks like it." She walked towards the God Arcs alongside X. She retrieved a basic Blade from the rack. Beside her, X claimed his new weapon.

"That's an interesting looking God Arc Blade." Kinaia remarked. "What's it called?"

X didn't take his eyes off of his blade as he inspected it himself. "Tail Sword: Silver: Silver." Kinaia, Kota and Licca noticed X's grip around on his God Arc tighten when he said the word 'Silver'. Before any of them could comment, he walked a few feet away from them into the opening of the storage bay, and took aim with his blade.

He placed a hand on his weapon's core, and let out a short breath. In front of him, a strong mist of red Oracle Cells dispursed into the air.

"X, what are you doing?!" Licca yelled, nearly running over to him. "You can't just use Impulse Edge inside of the Den like that – especially around the other God Arcs! Weren't you paying attention to the lectures about Oracle Cells Dr. Sakaki gave you?"

Kota, who had hoped back at the sudden sound, now walked next to Kinaia. "Impulse Edge?"

"It's a technique usable only by Long Blades. It shoots out Oracle Cell bullets from your gun, depending on the blade. You'd have to be careful though, as its taxing on both your OP and Stamina."

Kota nodded. He then shook his head in a double take. "You can shoot bullets with your sword? Awesome!" He then looked at Kinaia's blade. "But...since you're an Old-Type..."

"That's right." Kinaia remarked. "Since I don't have a gun attachment to my God Arc, I can't use the Impulse Edge, even though I use a Long Blade." She whistled. "So, that's the power of a New-Type?"

"Someone sounds a bit jealous..." Kota mused as X took his lecture from Licca.

"I'm not jealous." Kinaia spoke sincerly. "I'm just...interested."

"In X?! Why?!" Kota nearly squealed.

"Because he's the first New-Type I've ever heard of." Kinaia removed a cloth from her pocket and wiped her Blade.

Kota seemed to relax a bit, but was tense nonetheless. "That's it?" He asked warily.

"That's it." Kinaia replied, smiling at her reflection. "Why?" She asked, now looking at Kota. "Is there something I should know about him?"

Kota gulped audiably. "Uh, just that he's kind of -"

"Kind of what?" X asked, appearing beside Kinaia, in Kota's opinion, out of nowhere.

"Kind of a great person to be around!" Kota laughed nervously. "Hey, uh, don't you two have a mission?"

_**Sometime later...**_

"Alright," X spoke as he and Kinaia surveryed the surrounding area. "Let's split up and search for the enemy. Remember, our target is the Gboro, but there are Ogretails around." X cast a second look at Kinaia's Blade. "That's a Blade II, right?"

Kinaia nodded. "How could you tell?"

X looked away from her, "I've only switched my weapon from a Blade today. I can see the difference between your blade and the one I used to use. That model is much more reinforced."

"You have a good eye for detail, X." Kinaia complimented. "That's a good trait to have in our line of work."

X merely nodded at her words. "Any objections with the plan?"

Kinaia raised an eyebrow at X. "Not at all, X. Send up a flare if you're having trouble." X gave her a firm nod and took off to the right. Kinaia watched him as he jogged into the distance, recalling a memory from earlier today...

"_Private Tsumi." Tsubaki addressed her in the elevator._

"_Yes ma'am?" Kinaia replied respectfully._

"_Your first mission will be with Private X07. He'll be with the others during introductions, and I'd like you to make an extra effort to get to know him."_

"_...ma'am?" Kinaia asked, blindsided by the request._

"_He's only been a God Eater for a month," Tsubaki recounted. Kinaia's eyes widened at this comment. Tsubaki noticed her expression and continued "I know, he's making rapid progress in a short amount of time. It took you almost two years to reach that status yourself, did it not?"_

_Kinaia nodded, remaining silent._

"_However, Private X isn't as sociable or open-hearted as you or other recruits tend to be. It seems that he's already deemed everyone else at this branch..." Tsubaki paused to find the right word. "Insignifigant. Perhaps an experienced God Eater like yourself can get through to him?"_

_Tsubaki turned away from Kinaia as the elevator began to slow down. Kinaia corrected her stance and replied with a hearty "I'll do my best, ma'am!" earning a smile from Tsubaki. Just as the elevator began to draw to a stop, Kinaia asked "But why me, ma'am?"_

_The elevator stopped, it's heavy thud echoing in the shaft. "Because I need every single God Eater available to try and get him out of that shell he's in. It's for his own good."_

_The doors opened up, revealing a ton of people at Entrance level. They all ceased their own chit-chat and watched as Tsubaki and Kinaia stepped out of the elevator in silence. Kinaia saw Tsubaki look around the room, and then sigh, hanging her head._

"_He isn't here..."_

X stopped jogging and looked over his shoulder. Kinaia still stood in the same spot. "You're not nervous, are you?" X called out to her.

Kinaia shook herself out of her trance. "Not at all." She replied, turning away from X and going the opposite direction.

X watched her as she vanished beyond a bend. "..." He remained quiet for a moment. "Something's going on, and I'm at the center of it." X hefted his blade over his shoulder, his ears picking up the sound of claws scraping against metal. "I hate that..."

X leaped backwards just as the Ogretail he had heard landed where he had been standing. X's gaze fell upon his Tail Sword: Silver. With a slight, cruel smile X lifted his Tail Sword: Silver. "If you can't beat them," He timed the Ogretail's jump. "Get them to beat themselves!"

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Kinaia walked the Sunken Grid with caution. This was the first time she was in this area, and she was keeping mental notes on her surroundings. She noted where the water collected into little pools, where particual platforms that were withing a jump's reach were located, and most importantly, she kept her eyes on areas where the Gboro-Gboro could be hiding in or travel through.

It was then she noticed something reflect light on the ground. She jogged over to it, and crouched low. She rummaged around the dirt for a second and found what looked like an old medical kit. She decided to take it with her, not knowing when -

A giant shadow loomed over her, blocking out the sunlight.

Kinaia spun around. She came face to face with a large legless fish. It sported a cannon on its forehead and large, jagged teeth that were as long as Kinaia was tall. It was ocean blue/green in color, and sported two more fangs along what would be its jaw. Two large fins carried it and a large orsal fin on its back ket it steady.

Kinaia waisted no time. She swung her blade down at its face. With a loud **ting!** Kinaia felt her weapon nearly bounce off of the Aragami known as a Gboro-Gboro. '(Damn,)' She thought, continuing her assault. '(My attack was flung! I need to find a more vital spot...)' Kinaia side-stepped just as the Gboro down forward with its jaws open, narrowly avoiding becoming its lunch.

Kinaia jumped into the air, and swung her blade at its back fin twice. She heard the flesh-like impact and felt satisfied that she could inflict enough-

The Gboro let out a quick roar. Kinaia raised her Tower Shield, known as the Rustungen, and blocked the incoming attack. She was pushed back in the air, but managed to land on her feet. '(I've fought these before,)' she thought to herself, running around its right side. '(I know all of its signals right before it attacks. I just have to aim for the back fin and it tail. Stay behind it, and it can't attack me as often.)'

Kinaia slid to a halt behind the Gboro, and swung her blade horizontally. It hit the tail, and she heard a sound that reminded her of bones being twisted until they popped and cracked. '(Yes,)' she exclaimed to herself. '(I've found a weakpoint!)' The Gboro roared again, and spun around. This time it caught Kinaia off guard; but she managed to hop back just enough so that only a potion of the Aragami's tail made contact with her.

She skid to a halt, her hands and God Arc on the ground in front of her. She caught her breath as she stood up, only to see the Gboro's back fin raised and its cannon aimed at her. "Crap!" She shouted, deploying her shield just as three large bullet shaped torrents of water came at her. Although she was protected by the damage thanks to her shield, Kinaia was still pushed back a few yards, and her feet were now submerged in shallow puddles. Kinaia looked down at her feet for a few second before facing her opponent once more.

"Now my feet are all wet..." She yelled, lifting her weapon above her head. "If I get sick, I'll kill you!"

_**PAGE BREAK**_

X watched as his God Arc ate from the fifth Ogretail that tried to ambush him. "I haven't even left the area..." he sighed methodically. He pulled his Arc to him, and analyzed the materials he'd gathered. "Cinnabar..." He read the description provided to him by the Fenrir database installed on his God Arc. "Power rushes in, increasing stamina." He shrugged; X had no intention of messing with anything until he knew exactly what it was.

"Well, that's that." He began to walk casually towards the extraction point, stopping only when he though he had heard something. "Right. Kinaia..." X kept his Arc at the ready and took off. "It'll be faster if I swing around instead of backtracking." X deciced as he ran. "It's a good thing I already salvaged what I could from that direction."

In a matter of minutes, X had arrived on the opposite side of the power station, his inventory a little heavier with salvage items. "It came from-" X stopped, looking down at the ground. "The mud has been disturbed here...footprints and...finprints. They were here." X stood, and followed the mud prints until he reached a bend. He placed his back to the wall and took a few long strides to the edge.

The wall he was on split in the middle, a long stretch of constructed ground led into a cavern that was most likely Aragami made. X switched to his gun and stepped into the opening, ready to open fire.

Furhter down the path, X saw Kinaia hacking and slashing away at the downed Gboro-Gboro.

"She's..." X paused for a second. "Thorough." X noticed that Kinaia's battle style was reckless; she would charge in at the slightest opening, dishing hits and taking them as though she were inhaling and exhaling. Speaking of breathing, Kinaia looked exhausted. X also noticed that there was blood running down her leg. He sighed, and prepared a recovery bullet. He took aim, and fired...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Kinaia had to admit; for a low ranking mission and an even lower level Gboro-Gboro, this bastard was tenacious. She had already broken its back fin as well as its torso, and its cannon was hanging on by only a thread, yet it still tried to fight.

Kinaia herself was also injued, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. Sure, her shoulder was cut, but it was a flesh wound. And yes, she had been pressed to far into a wall a few times and her back was sore, but it was nothing compared to training. And maybe, just maybe, the blood loss she suffered from the ankle to hip gash on her right leg was beginning to make her vision hazy, but she had suffered worse.

Way worse.

But, just as she was gainning th eupper hand in the battle, the Gboro-Gboro lifted its broken back fin and exhaled. Kinaia noticed her surroundings were becoming green and hazy. "Toxic gas!" She shouted, turning around and running out of its radius. She leaped forward, arms outward and accompanied by a shout, just out of range as the gas shot upward in an undobutedly harmful manner. Kinaia landed, aliding on her belly, yet wasted no time in getting back up -

To find the Gboro-Gboro nose diving into a pool of water.

"You coward!" She yelled, watching it swim away. She predicted its path and saw it was headed under some underwater rubble. She looked up; in the center of the Sunken Grid was a cavern that was more likely than not eaten hollow by Aragami. She followed the bend in the topography and raced to the Gboro's new location.

"Of course I'm the one stuck playing monster hunter..." Kinaia grumbled to herself. "Where the hell is X?"

_**PAGE BREAK**_

As if the battle hadn't been taxing enough, fighting on the small island inside the cavern was no easy feat. Surrounded by water and with very little ground to work with against such a large foe, Kinaia knew that she had lost her advantage. She huffed as the Gboro raised its torn back fin. "Oh no you don't!" She shouted, swinging her blade four times, targeting the Gboro's ripped chest. The Aragami let out a gurggling sound and fell falt.

Kinaia knew better; it wasn't dead. She watched as its body moved up and down as it breathed. "Just die already!" Kinaia yelled in frustration. She wanted this battle over with – especially since Private X07 was of no help whatso-

Kinaia felt something hit her. There was no real inital impact, but there was a soothing green glow. Oracle cells acting like liquid seeped into her pores and open wounds. She felt a rush of vitality overtake her; even her wounds stopped bleeding as heavily. Kinaia recognized this feeling as a recovery bullet. She stopped attack and turned around.

X stood off in the distance and was taking aim at the downed Gboro-Gboro. "Give me a clear shot!" He yelled as a second recovery bullet flew her way. Kinaia's eyes fluttered as it hit her; even more vitalit seeped in and her bleeding stopped completely.

"Move!" X ordered, now firing bright indigo shots. Kinaia recognized them as Spark element bullets and ran towards X, avoiding his fire. No sooner had she moved, she heard a heavy fin make contact with the ground '(I just barely avoided that attack,)' She realized as she neared X. She dove forward and past X. She pressed her back against his to support as he fired relentlessly.

"I've just destroyed it!" X proclaimed, causing Kinaia to look past him. Sure enough, the Gboro's cannon was now shattered, Seconds later, Kinaia saw the two fangs jutting out of its sides like tusk fall to pieces. "Let's go." X spoke, shifting his gun into blade form. He wasted no time in going after the Aragami. Kinaia turned around but did not follow.

'(He's only been a God Eater for a month according to Tsubaki.)' She thought as she watched X leap into the air. He swung his blade twice, making criss-cross gashes in its face. '(But his voice is nothing like a rookie's.)' X propelled himself forward in the air, swinging his blade vertically, ripping the Gboro's already destroyed back fin to sunders. He must have landed only a second ago, but he was in front of the Aragami in an instant.

He swung his blade in the same manner as Kinaia did, the Old Type God Eater realized. '(But the way he fights...)' She watched X's feet glide across the ground as he seemlessly dodged all four of the monster's swipes. Just as the attack finished, X was in its face. '(Is...it's like he's a professional. He reads the movements, judges the distance and moves in and out of the radius so fast it's like he's not even thinking.)'

X placed a hand on the core fo his arc and fired the light blue mist of Orace Cells. '(A blaze element radial shot?)' Kinaia wondered. '(Since a Gboro's element is freeze, that attack should do major damage-)' Kinaia then realized it. '(Radials are crush-type bullets! A Gboro's unbound chest is extremely vulnerable-)' The Aragami fell to it stomach with a loud roar. "We've got the edge now!" X shouted, attacking without rest.

"He's..." Kinaia watched as X would perform three hits and then fire his Impulse Edge. "Utilizing both blade and gun and performing a near infinite combination attack!" X stopped attacking abruptly and ran towards Kinaia. Mid-step, she watched as X shifted his blade to gun form. He went into his pocket and swallowed something, then proceeded to fire more spark shots at the Aragami.

No sooner than the first bullet made contact, the area around the Gboro-Gboro turned green. '(The poisonous gas! He moved out of its range before it even formed.)' The monster reared up on its tail; having had its signature attack disrupted must have pissed it off. Both God Eaters noticed toxic gas leaking from its mouth.

"X, watch out!" Kinaia called. "This species gets much faster when enraged!" X didn't seem to hear her; instead he reached into one of the many pockets of his Sniper pants and withdrew an item. The Gboro tracked him down and came charging. X threw his hand down, and turned towards Kinaia.

"Cover your eyes!" His words were a split-second early. Kinaia covered her eyes with her arm just as the stun grenade went off. The Gboro reeled back at the sudden light and noise. Momentarily confused, it began to lash out around it.

"You okay?" Kinaia moved her arm from her face to find X in front of her. "Did those recovery bullets do any good?" He placed a hand on her shoulder, inspecting her cut. "It looks like a flesh wound. How's your leg?"

Kinaia had nearly forgotten about her leg. She looked at it, turning her calf outward. "It's fine. Thanks."

X nodded. "You can still fight, right Private?"

Kinaia looked away from her leg. "Of cour- move!" Kinaia pushed X to the side just as the Gboro-Gboro neared with its mouth open wide -

And stopped in its tracks.

Kinaia heared a cackling sound and looked at the ground beneath the Aragami. There were yellow electric currents engulfing their target, ensnaring it and preventing its movements. "Snare Trap." X commented. Kinaia had no idea when X set it up. "Let's wrap this up, shall we?"

Kinaia gave X a nod. The two positioned their God Arcs at each of its broken fangs, enabling the devouring process. The black maws shot forward at the same time, chomping down on the Gboro-Gboro...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Kinaia watched X as he applied ointment to her shoulder. "This'll heal in no time." He spoke loudly over the sound of the helicopter propellers. "Now, about that leg. Do you mind lying face-down for me?" Kinaia watched X's face as he spoke; his voice and expression always remained in monotone, even as he treated her injuries.

"What about you, X?" She asked, looking at the ripped jacket he wore.

"I'm fine, really." X lifted the tattered material, revealing his torso. There was no broken skin, but Kinaia did notice something else. X saw the expression on her face change, and quickly closed his shirt. "That doesn't count..." He spoke, his voice deep and heavy.

Kinaia shook her head for clarity. "Of course it doesn't." Kinaia slowly undid the gray scarf around her neck, and let it fall into her lap. X looked at her neck, his expression remaining mute. Kinaia wrapped the scarf around her neck again, and stretched out on the seat of the helicopter. She rolled over onto her stomach, avoiding rubbing her shoulder against anything.

X squeezed the bottle of ointment, but nothing came out. "Empty." He sucked his teeth and threw the bottle out of the helicopter's open door. He closed it behind himself and took his seat. His eyebrow rose when he noticed Kinaia holding an identical tube of ointment. His eyes looked to the window on the door and then her hand.

Kinaia, of course, did hot see his eyes move behind his sunglasses. "I found an old medical kit and held onto it. Lucky, huh?" X took it, and opened the top. He applied some ointment to his hand before rubbing it on her leg.

"I don't believe in luck." Kinaia's leg jerked away from him. X sat upright and looked towards Kinaia's face. "Did it hurt?"

Kinaia shook her head. "Your hands are freezing!" She let out a small laugh. "It didn't bother my shoulder too much so I didn't day anything. But when you touched my leg..."

X flexed his hands a few times and blew warm breath on them for a few minutes. He then slowly placed his hands on Kinaia's leg once more. "Better?"

"Better." She sighed, revelling in the warmth on her bare leg. She let out a content sigh.

X continued to apply the ointment to her ankle. He then moved up to her calf, continuing to cover the wound to her thigh. He stopped abruptly when he reached the mid-point of her thigh. Kinaia, who had her head resting on her folded arms, looked back at him. "Something wrong?"

X, his hands still on her leg, looked from the affected area then to her face.

Kinaia stared at him blankly for a minute. She then realized the gravity of the situaion and tried to fight back the sudden flush in her face. "Oh! Uh, yeah...I can do that myself." Kinaia began to unfold her arms when something cracked. X noticed the way her face contorted; Kinaia had managed to hide just how severe the pain was.

"Your back cracked." X doted in monotone. "What happened earlier in the battle?"

Kinaia exhaled befor speaking. "The damn Gboro-Gboro's water blast pressed me up against the power plant's walls a few times. I was guarding them, so it's nothing major." She let her words hang in the air. Kinaia noticed X's forehead wrinkle and slowly realized he was glaring at her. "Okay, maybe more than a few times..."

X nodded, his forehead becoming smmoth again. "Take it easy." He spoke, his voice detached. "I'll finish up here and you can rest until we get back to the Den." X placed his hands on Kinaia's leg, and she instinctively jerked it wawy from him. He flexed his hands a few times and blew on them again. He stopped when he noticed the look on Kinaia's face.

"What?" He asked.

"...huh?" Kinaia's voice sounded lost.

"You were staring at me. What is it?" X probed.

"It's nothing..." Kinaia tried to convince him.

"You have a question." X stated factually. "Ask it."

"How did you...?" Kinaia smiled; no point in hiding it. "Will you answer it?"

"Maybe." X replied honestly.

"Why are your hands so cold?" Kinaia asked, rushed.

"That wasn't what you wanted to ask." X spot definitely. "I don't know or care."

Kinaia's eyebrows rose at his response.

"Ask the first question you thought of." X spoke as he began to rub the ointement on her leg once more.

"How did you..." Kinaia felt her leg relax a bit. "Get that scar on your torso?"

X's hands stopped for only a second. "How did you get that scar on your neck?"

Kinaia lifted her head. "Answer my question first."

"Only ask a question if you're prepared to answer one." X shot back.

"..." Kinaia bit her lower lip. "Fine. Don't tell me." She sounded childish.

"Fine." X sounded bored.

Kinaia huffed and laid her head down.

"I'm done." X reported, wiping the excess ointement on his ripped Sniper Coat.

"Thank you." Kinaia spoke instinctively. "But don't think you're off the hook."

"Off what hook?" X asked, reclining his head on the wall behind him.

"I asked you a question, so you're supposed to answer it." Kinaia replied.

"Doesn't the same apply to you, then?" X retorted.

The two were silent for some time.

"Fine then. What if I changed the question?" Kinaia offered.

"Is that your new question, or is that a new one?" X teased in monotone.

"Very funny." Kinaia spoke bluntly. "Where'd you learn how to fight?"

Kinaia noticed X visibly tense up. "Fenrir." He spoke hurridly. "You?"

"That's a lie." Kinaia saw throguh him.

"Yup."

"Don't be so casual about it!"

"I answered your question. Now answer mine." X ignored Kinaia's outburst.

"No way! You lied!" Her voice rose.

"You never told me to answer honestly." X lifted his head to look her in the eye.

"..." Kinaia put her head down, but didn't muffle her voice. "So, that's the kind of person you are."

"..." X remained silent for a few moments. "I guess I am."

Kinaia lifted her head; his voice had sounded...human. Reminiscent, even.

"What?" He asked, his voice deadpan once more as she stared at him.

"Nothing." Kinaia put her head down and faced the wall. For a while, the only sound was that of the helicopter propellers...

"You're self-taught, aren't you?"

Kinaia, who had been nodding off, lifted her head to look at X. "Wha...?"

"The way you swing your blade may be the way Fenrir instilled in its recruits, you and I swing our Long Blade at the same angle and shift our weight the same way. That's how Fenrir teaches us to fight, but your motions, your reactions, your overall style, has no solidified foundation. You fight to the rhythm of yourself and the opponent. However, if you're caught off guard or feel that you can, you'll force your rhythm onto your enemy using overpowering force. It's worked for you thus far, so you figured it's perfect."

Kinaia watched X as he removed his sunglasses and cleaned them with the tattered white shirt beneath his jacket. He looked to Kinaia, his platinum blue eyes falling on her green eyes for only a second. The sunglasses were back on his face. "Am I right?"

Kinaia began to sit up, X moved to restrict her, but she shook her head. She sat upright so that she and X were aligned. She looked him in the eyes as best she could through the black lenses. "I can't believe it..."

X remained inert.

"That's the most you've said to me all day today!" Kinaia began to laugh, holding her sides in the process. X lifted an eyebrow, watching Kinaia as she lost herself in laughter.

"Drowning yourself in laughter solves nothing." X's voice was cruel.

"And neither does drowning yourself in silence." Kinaia's sense of humor vanished totally.

For five minutes, both God Eaters stared at one another in silence.

"Privates," The pilot's voice came over an intercom in the helicopter. "ETA to the Den is fifteen minutes."

X removed his glasses and leaned his head forward into his palm. Kinaia watched as his shoulders began to move up and down. '(What the... is he crying?)'

"Ha ha ha..." X lifted his head from his hand. "Ha ha ha!" He wiped a tear from his closed eye. "Phew..." X adjusted his sunglasses, a large smirk still on his face. "Well said, Kinaia Tsumi, well said."

Kinaia blinked a few times in confusion. She left a half smile grace her face. "Thanks."

"Well, that woke me up." X rubbed his chin. "I'll answer your question truthfully." X's smile vanished as quickly as it appeared. "I was self-taught, for a while. But then I met someone, a mentor, and they taught me what I know now..." Kinaia noticed X's right hand become a fist. "Fenrir's good for making warriors."

Kinaia nodded. "Yeah, I'm self-taught." She let her half-smile grow. "But Fenrir helped."

The two God Eaters nodded at one another with the same thought in their mind.

'(S/He's lying...)'

"Well, I guess I was wrong." X stretched his arms and let out a synthesized yawn. "Wake me up when we get there. Fifteen minutes is long enough for a power nap." X lied down and rolled over.

KInaia waited for a few minutes until she heard X's breathing become steady. "Agreed." She spoke to X's sleeping figure. Kinaia did the same on her side of the helicopter, turning her back to X.

X lie there with his eyes wide open as he simulated sleep-breathing. '(Hm. The report I got from Lindow was right. She's good at hiding what she's really thinking. Lindow, you bastard, why do you have me looking after newbies?)'

'(I've never heard...)' Kinaia thoguht to herself as she closed her eyes. '(Such a sad, forced laugh...)'

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"Wait, what?!" Kota shouted. He covered his mouth, remembering he was in the Sick Bay.

Kinaia thanked the nurse who finished checking up on her arm. "I said he helped me with my injuries, Kota."

Kota looked at the bandaged areas. "The shoulder is fine, but your leg?!" He stuck his hands out towards her wrapped leg. "That's way too sensual!"

"...what?!" Kinaia asked, her voice suppressed.

"I mean..." Kota coughed. "That was close, right? You could've come back a limb short! Good thing you weren't alone, right?" He put his hand behind his head and laughed.

"What?!" Kinaia yelled, standing at the notion of being called weak.

"What?!" Kota replied, standing up himself. "I hear you, Tsubaki, I'm coming!" Kota dashed out of the infirmary. Kinaia groaned and sat back down on the bed.

"Honestly..." she sighed. She looked at her leg, remembering her fight wth the Gboro-Gboror. '(Yeah, I had weakened it before X came along,)' She remembered how deftly he had handled himself and more importantly, the Aragami. '(But the way he moved wasn't what Fenrir taught. He's hiding something...)'

The door to sick bay opened up and X was in the doorway.

"You okay?" He asked in monotone.

Kinaia jumped. "X! I was just thinking about you!"

"Kota told me." He replied with a sigh. "He has a-"

"X! Shut up!" Kota came flying into view. X stepped into Sick Bay just as Kota went for a tackle. He let out an 'oof!' as he hit the floor. The door closed behind X as he walked in.

"How long until you're healed?" X asked, ignoring the concerned look on Kinaia's face.

"With the way Oracle Cells regenerate? I'll be fine by tomorrow morning." Her statement wiped the concern for Kota off of her face. "He'll be fine, right?"

X nodded, answering her question. "Well, I checked up on you like Tsubaki ordered. No need for chit-chat."

X stood, and walked to the door. He took a few steps back as Kota came tumbling in. "Kota." X greeted, stepping over the gunner. "No one likes an eavsdropper."

"X!" X stopped mid-step and looked over his shoulder. Kinaia could partially see one of his eyes. "When will you answer my question?"

Kota shot up, now standing on X's right. "What question?!"

"When you answer mine." X replied, looking straight ahead and walking through the door way.

Kota turned to Kinaia, his eyes pleading. "What question?"

"Nothing." Kinaia spoke with finality.

"You're going to keep me in the dark, too?!"

"Pretty much."

"Don't be so casual about it!" Kota yelled.

"..."

"Gah! He's rubbed off on you!" Kota cried. He placed a hand to his chin and sid curiously "Maybe when he was rubbing all over you?"

"Get out, Kota!" Kinaia yelled, throwing a pillow at him. Kota yelled and dove out of the doorway.

Kinaia huffed. She then heard Kota speaking to someone. "What question?!"

"Nothing." X's voice was distant.

"Tell me!"

"...want to get lunch?" X's voice was enticing.

"Alright!...wait, don't distract me with food!"

"I'll race you to the pudding – Kota? Right, he's pretty fast. Works everytime."

Kinaia heard the eleveator doors whoosh open and close. She sighed. '(At least...)' She smiled to herself. '(It'll be interesting around here...)'

_And that is chapter seven! Shout out to SeraphOmega and his OC Kinaia Tsumi! I give you my grattitude, friend. Let me know how you feel about how I interpreted Kinaia; and don't pull any punches, either. The same goes for everyone else when I finally debut your OCs. For those curious, I introduced Kinaia first since she was an Old-Type God Eater and thus, easier to work with when it came to combat. _

_And oh, Seraph, did you spot the two Monster Hunter references in her battle with the Gboro-Gboro?_

_Xen Kenshin_


	8. Chapter 8

******Don't Run Away**

___I'd like to take a second out to thank those of you who submit dedicated reviews to every chapter – and even those who PM me questions about the fic. Just keep feedin' my ego guys! That's how you get updates faster! Mwahahaha~!_

___Ahem... moving on. No new OC in this chapter, guys, sorry. Can't just shove all the Ocs in at the same time or the ol' idea hole gets clogged. Pacing is important in everything!_

___Don't know WHY I'm shouting so much... must be because I finished 'The World's Largest Snickers Bar' not too long ago. I purchased it in Coney Island when I went there over Memorial Day weekend. Anywho...official chapter foreword...ago-go!_

___More character interactions in chapter 8, this time with Kinaia and the canon cast. There won't be any fighting in this chapter_

___And on a final note, allow me to post a "key" on how the font works:_

_Normal speech/details._

_'(Thoughts)'_

___Flashbacks_

**_Messages and other special text_**

___Every now and again, you may see some _**_bold_**___ in flashback Italics, or some italics in normal speech/detail. If it's just a word or two, then I'm just changing it up in order to emphasize words. That's the way the fic works. So now you know!_

******Chapter 8 – Getting To Know The Locals**

Kinaia Tsumi, newest member of the Fenrir Far East Branch -at least this sector- took the time out of her day to get the layout of the Den down. She explored the place from top, the helicopter pad where God Eaters departed and returned from missions, to bottom, the training areas and God Arc Storage Unit. There were a few places she wasn't permitted to enter, like the Director's office or the maintenance rooms, but aside from that, she pretty much had the place mapped out. She now sat on the Entrance level, remembering her day thus far.

Some interesting things happened as she explored, though. Like on the Veteran's section...

_"____Oy, Soma!" Lindow called out to the loner. Soma stopped walking towards his room and turned around. "You got any beer?"_

_"____I don't drink that crap." Soma shot back._

_"____So...that's a yes?" Lindow asked, cat-like grin on his face._

_"____I don't drink that crap, so why would I request beer rations?!" Soma yelled._

_"____Because you love me and want to give me your rations?"_

_"____Is that all you do in your free time, harass me?" Soma sighed._

_"____I'd harass the rookie, but he's off on missions with the Defense Squad."_

_"____Rookie...? You mean X? He's been promoted to Private, you know."_

_"____Eh, until I see him in action again, I'll consider him a Rookie." Lindow suddenly grew another Cheshire grin. Soma questioned his sanity; were those...whiskers? "You two seem awfully friendly."_

_"____Shut up." Soma replied with hostilaty._

_"____I'm just sayin'," Lindow prodded. "You two act alike..."_

_"____Stop talking, Lindow..."_

_"____Kind of have the same speaking pattern..."_

_"____I'll come over there and..."_

_"____Even wear dark, brooding clothes..."_

_"____I'll kill you, Amamiya." Soma's voice was volatile._

_"____Hey!" Lindow sounded hurt. "That's_******__****Corporal**___ Amamiya."_

_"____It'll be _**__****late**_______Corporal if you keep this up." Soma spoke through gritted teeth._

___Lindow stood in the middle of the hallway, his arms open and inviting. "Come at me, bro."_

___Soma took a step forward. He then let out a heavy sigh. "You're a waste of time." Soma walked into his room. The door closed behind him automatically, leaving Lindow staring after him._

_"____So you've got my back with that beer situation, right?" Lindow looked down the hall and noticed Kinaia. She had seen the enitre act, and stood in the aftermath with her mouth open. "Oh, Newbie." Lindow waved Kinaia over._

_"____You have beer rations, right?"_

Kinaia had spent fifteen minutes with Lindow. She was glad that he gave her so many tips for fighting against the Aragami, but wished he didn't spend the first ten minutes trying to convince her to get beer rations just to pass them along to him.

Oh, and then there was what happened on the firing range...

_"____Ow!" Kota shouted. "We're practicing with live ammunition here!"_

_"____I'm so sorry!" Kanon cried out. "I don't know how I hit you..."_

_"____Neither do I, but you did!" Kota picked himself up off the floor. He noticed the sad look in Kanon's eyes. "Oh, don't cry...look, it's okay, I'm fine. Here." Kota walked towards ____Kanon and lifted his God Arc. He took aim at the target dummy, instructing Kanon to follow his lead."Plant your feet like this, take aim, and BLAST IT!"_

___When Kota shouted, he made Kanon jump. And making someone with an itchy trigger finger and bad aim jump well..._

Kinaia turned around and left the firing range in a hurry. Aside from the clearly horrible shooting lessons going on, Kinaia felt out of place down there. She was a Blade user, and while she knew about Bullet Mechanics, she knew very little about gun functionality and experience.

'(New-Types have to know both Blade and Gun tactics, as well as management.)' Kinaia's mind wandered back to her conversation with X yesterday as they returned from their mission...

"_The way you swing your blade may be the way Fenrir instilled in its recruits, you and I swing our Long Blade at the same angle and shift our weight the same way. That's how Fenrir teaches us to fight, but your motions, your reactions, your overall style, has no solidified foundation."_

'(He only saw me fight once, and only for a few minutes, but he was able to gather so much information about me? I thought only Corporals and other higher ups had that kind of persceptive ability...)'

"_You fight to the rhythm of yourself and the opponent. However, if you're caught off guard or feel that you can, you'll force your rhythm onto your enemy using overpowering force. It's worked for you thus far, so you figured it's perfect."_

'(He's right...)' Kinaia hated to admit it. '(That's how its always been. See the enemy before you, learn its pattern, then beat the snot out of it.)'

"_...the rhythm of yourself and the opponent..."_

'(Is that how he was able to time the Gboro-Gboro's attacks, by picking up it rhythm? That would explain how he could time his dodges so well...But his counter attacks were flawless!)'

"_...the rhythm of yourself..."_

"I got it!"Kinaia shouted out, slapping her fist into her palm and standing. Across from her, the janitor jumped up from cleaning the desk. "Oh, sorry. I was just going over tactics in my head."

The janitor laughed. "It sounds like you were successful in figuring it out?"

Kinaia nodded. "Yeah. Fighting has its own rhythm, but you and your opponent also carry a rhythm. Knowing the enemy's rhythm is good, but knowing your own rhythm on top of that is better!"

The janitor placed a hand to his chin. "That's like knowing your own limits, as well as your strengths, right?"

Kinaia nodded. "But it goes deeper than that, too!"

The janitor slapped his fist into his palm. "I got it!"

Kinaia's face lit up. "Right?!"

"Yes!" The janitor cheered. "Know your rhythm, match it to the enemy's and then slowly get the enemy to move to your rhythm!"

Kinaia's jaw dropped.

"Oh," the janitor sounded sad. "Was I wrong?"

"N-no..." Kinaia chuckled sheepishly. "Just the opposite."

"Huh?"

"My conclusion was match its rhythm then beat the snot out of it. But, if you make the Aragami change its rhythm to yours, then beating it to your own rhythm would be -"

Kinaia remembered the fight in greater detail:

_She watched X leap into the air. He swung his blade twice, making criss-cross gashes in its face. X propelled himself forward in the air, swinging his blade vertically, ripping the Gboro's already destroyed back fin to sunders. He must have landed only a second ago, but he was in front of the Aragami in an instant..._

_She watched as X shifted his blade to gun form. He went into his pocket and swallowed something, then proceeded to fire more spark shots at the Aragami. No sooner than the first bullet made contact, the area around the Gboro-Gboro turned green. '(The poisonous gas! He moved out of its range before it even formed.)'..._

"X didn't just match the rhythm..." Kinaia repeated to herself. "He totally made that Gboro-Gboro his bitch in under five minutes..." She plopped back down on the sofa.

"My goodness!" The janitor's voice surprised Kinaia who was absorbed in her own mind. "I may not be able to wash your mouth out, young lady, but please watch your language!"

The janitor packed up his cleaning supplies and walked off, huffing about 'kids these days, even if they DO keep us safe'...

"But..." Kinaia watched as the janitor vanished into the staircase. "Thank you?" She sighed and stood up. "Okay, I have to find out when X is returning and talk to him about this." She headed downstairs to the main desk and consulted with Hibari.

"Hey Hibari."

"Oh! Hello Kinaia. How are you adjusting to the Den?"

"It's great. There are a lot of interesting things around here."

"And there will only be more interesting characters added! Pretty soon, actually!" Hibari smiled with her eyes closed.

"We're getting new recruits?" Kinaia asked, excited.

Hibari opened her eyes, shocked. "Well, um," She stammered. "Fenrir is always recruiting."

"But, you sounded like you knew-"

"One second please...This is Hibari. There has been a request to fix the fourth wall in Training Room 8. Please dispatch a team there as soon as possible."

Kinaia stared blankly at the 'mission maiden' as she heard aroud the Den.

"You were saying?" Hibari asked Kinaia.

"I forgot..." Kinaia snapped her fingers. "Right. When is X returning?"

"Private X07 returned not too long ago, and is currently in the Den."

"He's back? Where?"

Hibari's computer beeped. "I'm sorry. It seems he's just left on another mission, and won't be returning until...after ten pm."

"...nine hours?! What kind of mission is nine hours long? Isn't the usual length thirty, fourty minutes, at most?"

"I'm sorry, but that's the information that accompanies the mission. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"No thanks, Hibari, I'll just keep getting used to things around here."

"Understood. Have a nice day!"

Kinaia sighed and headed back to the couch upstairs. She sat in the same seat and continued to reflect on her first mission in this sector.

"_How did you...get that scar on your torso?"_

"_How did you get that scar on your neck?"_

"_Answer my question first."_

"_Only ask a question if you're prepared to answer one."._

Kinaia remembered the scar she had seen; it didn't look like anything she had seen before. She touched a hand to her scarf; and she had seen her fair share of scars. While P53 Bias Factor Oracle Cells helped you heal from the impossible Aragami-related injuries God Eaters suffered, they didn't always fully heal the near fatal injuries.

Nor did they heal scars from before you became a God Eater.

"That's why he was so defensive about it!" Kinaia shouted. "He got that scar before he became a God Eater!"

"Private Tsumi, please refrain from yelling in the lobby!"

"Sorry, Hibari!" Kinaia apologized in a loud whisper. "Something obviously happened that he doesn't want to talk about..." Kinaia's excitement was short lived. "And I opened up old wounds for him. No wonder why he was so stand-offish."

_"____I answered your question. Now answer mine." X ignored Kinaia's outburst._

_"____No way! You lied!" Kinaia retaliated._

_"____You never told me to answer honestly."_

_"____So... that's the kind of person you are."_

_"____..." X remained silent for a few moments. "I guess I am."_

___Kinaia lifted her head; his voice had sounded...human. Reminiscent, even..._

"But maybe he's not as bad as he tried to lead us to think." Kinaia shook her head. "Why am I so caught up in X07?" She sighed and held her temples.

"Because he's the only person I've been on a mission with. While I've already met everyone else, he 's the only person I've seen battle with here. Not to mention that's the only place I learned something about him..."

"_Drowning yourself in laughter solves nothing." X's voice was cruel._

"_And neither does drowning yourself in silence." Kinaia's sense of humor vanished totally._

Kinaia blew a raspberry. "Pfft. He's just being an over-dramatic big baby. We've all got baggage, so why should his be any different?" Kinaia said that line with the intent of being upset, but she couldn't help but feel sympathetic. "We've all got baggage, but his is so heavy that he feels he can't get over it, or even open up to others..."

Kinaia stood up swiftly. "Ah-ha!" She headed towards the elevator and went to press the call button. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Kinaia stood up straight, and smiled at the person inside. It was just who she wanted to see.

"Soma!" Kinaia greeted him cheerfully.

"Don't great me like we're friends." His words were like frost, but that didn't deter Kinaia.

"I wanted to ask you something-"

"I'm not going on any missions today." Soma interrupted.

"Good," Kinaia smiled. 'I just wanted to talk to you."

"If you're having any issues, take them up with the First Unit Leader or the Director. I'm not some kiosk that spews out information about this damned place."

Soma walked past Kinaia and headed towards the main desk.

"It's actually about Private X07!"

Soma stopped in his tracks.

"I wanted to ask if you know why he's so...detached from everyone else."

"How should I know?" Soma asked, his voice teetering between bored and upset.

Kinaia sensed this. "Well, because you've known him longer than I have."

Soma let out a snort. "That's it? I'm outta here..."

"And well..." Kinaia had a feeling this wouldn't go over well. "You two have a lot in common."

Soma stopped halfway down the stairs. He turned around to face Kinaia. "What did you say?" He walked up the stairs and stopped a few meters away from Kinaia.

"Well, you do!" Kinaia replied, not backing down. "You both are really professional with your work," She noticed Soma's eyebrows raise. "You both keep a level head in tough situations-"

"You're sounding awfully familiar with me." Soma cut her off. "You and I haven't been on a mission yet. How could you know this stuff about me?"

"I hear Lindow and the others talk about you all the time!"

"Don't talk about that bastard Amamiya around me!" Soma raged for a second. "It's because of him I've got to..." Soma turned around – and nearly bumped into Tsubaki.

" 'That bastard Amamiya?' Is there something I'm missing, Soma?" Her voice held both authority and a calm storm.

"Yeah," Soma replied, his voice taciturn. "Your brother is forcing me to get him beer rations. Try and make sure he doesn't get so drunk, he can't do his job."

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow. "Is he really forcing you, Soma?"

Soma let out a grunt. He opened his mouth to speak, but then quickly shut it, noticing Kinaia was still behind him. "Whatever. If it'll shut him up and get you off my back."

Soma hustled past Tsubaki and headed towards Hibari. "I need a request of rations form..." Kinaia heard him say before Tsubaki spoke up.

"Private Tsumi."

"Yes ma'am?" Kinaia stood at attention.

"How's your second day at the Den?"

"Everything is going fine, Tsubaki, ma'am."

Tsubaki smiled. "At ease, soldier. This is a conversation, not an announcement."

Kinaia exhaled as she relaxed. "Oh, sorry, ma'am."

Tsubaki shook her head. "Don't worry about it." She then sighed. "At least you respect the chain of command...unlike another Private that we know."

"Do you mean X?"

Tsubaki nodded.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Kinaia laughed. She stopped laughing abruptly, and asked Tsubaki "Why do we call him by his code-name, and why is it X07. Isn't that the name of that...forbidden sector?"

Tsubkai remained quiet for a while. "Forbidden...removed from existence. They may as well be the same thing in the public's eyes; just another limitation put into place by the almighty Fenrir..."

Kinaia sensed that something deeper was going on, but decided not to become a part of it.

"If you want to find out the answer to your question, Private, then ask him yourself. But be warned; he's not very sociable when it comes to his past."

Soma had been walking by, a yellow form in his hand, and decided to make a comment. "Yeah," He looked between Tsubaki and Kinaia. "He could use a lot more work when it comes to communication."

Both Tsubaki and Kinaia looked at one another, and then looked at Soma with a vacant stare. Soma's eyes darted between the two, lost for a moment. He then caught on and in an arrogant voice shouted: "Don't feed me that crap! I communicate with all of you just fine!"

Tsubaki smiled, turning her face to her clipboard. "Sure you do, Sergeant."

Soma opened his mouth, but quickly closed it. He remained silent as he boarded the elevator. "Bastards. Every single one of them..." The elevator doors closed.

Kinaia looked to Tsubaki. The older woman was clearly stifling a laugh, but her face did not crack. "Moving on," she spoke, her voice light. "What is on your agenda for today?"

Kinaia looked at Tsubaki thoughtfully. "I wanted to get to know everyone a little better, starting with X after...after what we discussed." Tsubaki gave Kinaia a curt nod before she continued speaking. "But he's out all day today, and the First Unit members are all busy, so that leaves the Defense Squad members."

Tsubaki looked away from her clipboard. "The Defense Squap requested back-up from the First Unit. AS such, Private X07 went along with them on their mission. They all returned not too long ago, but the Defense Squad resumed patrols..." Tsubaki's voice became low. "And it looks like X07 joined them."

Kinaia looked at Tsubkai; the adviser was obviously getting at something. "So," Tsubaki declared, her voice louder than usual. "I'm granting you out-of-Den clearance for today alone. Get to know the Outter Ghetto. Meet the people you fight to protect, learn the local area and if you bump into any of the Defense Squad members out there, send them my greeting."

Kinaia stood at attention even though it wasn't necessary. "Yes ma'am!"

"And one last thing, Private Tsumi. Take your God Arc with you. If you're going to be visiting the Defense Squad while their on duty, you may as well be prepared." Kinaia nodded to Tsubaki. "Let's hope you don't have to use your weapon."

* * *

Kinaia was walking around the inner core of the Den. She saw that the houses and shops around seemed pretty well off. Adults moved about, some working hard, others hardly working. There even seemed to be some type of celebration going on in one home; there was a banner that said "Happy" something; the rest of it was blocked of from Kinaia's current angle. Judging by the amount of children running in and out, it was most likely a birthday party.

Kinaia stood across the street from the party, watching as the children ran around and listened to the sound of their laughter. Hearing it made her heart grow warm and a gmile grow on her face.

"Oh wow!" The sudden yet small voice took Kinaia by surprise. She looked to her left, and found a small boy, about the age of six, staring at her God Arc. "You're a God Eater, aren't you?" Kinaia nodded to the child, her smile now trained on him.

"That's so cool!" He laughed. "Oh! Are you here for the party?!" He asked. Kinaia began to shake her head no, but the boy already had other plans. "Of course you are!" He took Kinaia's left hand and began to pull. "Everyone loves Erina's parties! Come on!"

Kinaia tried to pull away from the boy, but couldn't. Instantly, she realized that it wasn't a matter of physical strength, but strength from the heart. She couldn't make the boy feel bad by saying she wasn't coming to the party. "But I don't have an invitation!" Kinaia told the boy. It was true, but she also didn't want to intrude.

"You're a God Eater just like her brother used to be. I'm sure she'll let you come!"

Kinaia registered the boy's statement swiftly. So, the little girl had lost her brother who was a God Eater...What had he said her name was? Erina?

Upon entering the home, Kinaia saw that the inside was much more decorated than the outside, and not just with party decorations, either. The family was well off; rich was an understatement. The floors, the walls, the furniture, everything looked brand new and gleamed with spotless perfection. Kinaia felt even more out of it than she did outside.

"Hey, hey, look what I found!" The boy yelled to his friends.

"What do you mean 'what I found', I'm a person, not a pet!" Kinaia snapped.

"Oh wow, a God Eater!" One girl observed.

"Oh cool!" A boy yelled, throwing his fists into the air.

"Yeah, do you think Erina will like this?" The boy who dragged her to the party asked.

"What do you mean 'will like this'? I am **not** a present!" Kinaia pulled her hand out of the boy's grasp.

"Who's that making all that noise at my party?" A girl's voice came from beyond a distant doorway. Kinaia looked up, and found a girl stepping out of what may have been her room. Her hair was a pale sea-foam green, and she wore a white beret with black trim and pink tassel. Her outfit was a black cross between Western sailor suit and Eastern royal dress, finished with matching shoes and bright red tights.

"Erina!" The boy waved to the birthday girl. "Look, I found another God Eater!"

Kinaia, not one for being disrespectful bowed to the little girl. "Happy Birthday, Erina, was it?" It was then Kinaia realized what the boy had said. "What do you mean another God Eater?"

"Oh, so you're one of X's friends?" Erina asked, approaching Kinaia. She looked her up and down. "He came by a little earlier with someone...what was his name? The obnoxious brat with the loud mouth..."

"That'd be Kota." Kinaia surmised, her voice deadpan.

"Yes, that was his name." Erina sounded much too mature for her age. "He, however, went to the Outter Ghetto to visit his family."

"Which way did X go?" Kinaia asked.

"You're looking for him?" Erina asked, her voice curious. "Are you his girlfriend?"

"What?!" Kinaia nearly exploded. "Of course not, we just met yesterday."

"I see. That would make someone very relieved..."

"What are you...?" Kinaia sighed. "Just tell me where X went. Please?"

"He said he had to go on patrol with some other God Eaters. He and Kota went separate ways. If you want X, take a left when you leave here and walk until you reach the Outter Ghetto."

"And then what?" Kinaia asked, happy to have a lead.

"Not a clue." Erina shrugged. "I was too busy looking at the present he left me."

Erina pointed over her shoulder. Kinaia followed the child's finger until her eyes fell upon a massive pile of gift boxes. There were gifts of all shapes and sizes in all types of colorful decorations -Kinaia swore she saw one of them moving- and they stacked up and nearly touched the high ceiling.

"Which one did he leave you?" Kinaia aske, her voice lost in the splendor of it all.

"The one that I already opened, on the table next to the presents."

Kinaia moved so that she could see behind the mound of presents -which was no easy feat. She then gasped; there, reclined against the table was a Blast-type God Arc.

"It belonged to my brother, Eric. X was on a mission with him...Eric's final mission." Kinaia saw the look of grief in Erina's eyes. "He said he had to pull some strings to get it, and he even had to bring it in this special case that was huge and heavy. He said he couldn't touch it directly himself, but any non-God Eater could. My father tried to move it, but it was too heavy for him, so we left it there."

Kinaia walked over to the God Arc. As she approached, she noticed that there was a picture beside the God Arc. She recognized Erina instantly, and figured that the older boy in the picture with her was Eric. Kinaia looked at it for sometime. '(I've seen those sunglasses before...)' She thought. '(Those are the sunglasses X wears!)'

"So, did you bring me a present?" Erina asked. Kinaia nearly jumped; she hadn't heard the girl's footsteps, especially over the other children playing around and having fun.

"I'm sorry," Kinaia apologized. "But I didn't know that I'd be stopping by, nor did I know it was your birthday."

Erina fell silent, looking at the picture of her and her brother. Kinaia's eyes fell on the God Arc once more; she noticed there was a slight bump on the barrel of the gun that looked like chipped paint. She leaned forward and inspected it closer; around the stock and trigger, there were various splinters and nicks.

'(It's a copy.)' Kinaia realized. '(X knew that command wouldn't let a God Arc go, so he made Erina a copy.)' Kinaia looked over at Erina who was also eying the God Arc. '(Does she know that this is not the real thing?)' Kinaia stood upright, and let out a sigh. "I'll tell you what." Erina looked up at Kinaia as the God Eater spoke. "When I finally track down X, I'll get him to take you up to the Den so that you can meet all the people your brother worked with. How does that sound?"

Erina looked back to the God Arc replica. "I've already been to the Den with my father," Her voice held no amusement. Kinaia felt her spirits falter. "But," Erina's voice sounded happy. "I guess going with X would be worth a visit. He owes me, after trying to pass of this garbage as a God Arc."

* * *

After saying her goodbyes, Kinaia took the left from Erina's home and made a beeline for the Outter Ghetto. As she slipped through the Anti-Aragami Wall protecting the Inner Ghetto, she heard a large explosion. Wasting no time, Kinaia charged at full speed towards the smoke now billowing in the distance.

"Well, that went way better than expected!" Tastsumi spoke, wiping sweat off of his brow.

"Yeah," Gina spoke with a content sigh. "It's not everyday I get to shoot a Quadriga in such narrow quarters. It was exhilarating."

"You know what?" Kanon began, recounting her shots. "I think I had very few misses today!"

"Well," Tatsumi began, chuckling. "It was a pretty big target."

"Tatsumi!" Kanon whined. The three shared a laugh as Kinaia rounded the corner. Gina, being the sharpshooter, spotted her first.

"Hey, isn't that our newest member?" Gina pointed to the approaching Kinaia.

"You're right." Kanon waved to Kinaia. "Hello Kinaia! What brings you here?"

Kinaia slowed down, seeing the Defense Unit greeting her peacefully. "I heard an explosion, but it looks like you guys have everything under control."

"Oh yeah," Tatsumi spoke up. "That last Quadriga tried to take us all out with one last blow, but Kanon here stepped up and saved our hides." He patted Kanon on the shoulder.

"Ah," Kanon began, her cheeks flushing. "I just remembered the techniques that Kota and I went over, that's all. 'We gunners have to prove our worth, too'." Kanon quoted the recruit.

"Really?" Gina laughed. "I'll have to see just what he's capable of." She then turned her attention to Kinaia. "So, no missions for you, today?"

Kinaia shook her head. "Tsubaki gave me out-of-the-Den clearance so that I can get to know the area. She also told me to send her regards."

Tatsumi nodded. "Sounds like Tsubaki, alright." He pulled out his communicator and pressed a single button. The call connected in a second. "Hey Hibari, we just got done." He nodded a few times. "You got it. And we've got a date after that, right?" Tatsumi's face lost its smile, but only for a moment. "Then I'll be sure sure to wrap it up in no time and be back before dinner!"

Gina sighed. "There he goes again..."

"I think it's kind of cute," Kanon smiled. "Don't you, Kinaia?"

Kinaia looked from Kanon to Gina to Tatsumi and then back to Kanon. "I'm still not entirely sure on everyone's relationships. I only got here yesterday."

"Oh! I totally forgot all about that!" Kanon covered her mouth.

"Don't worry about it." Kinaia dismissed the conversation. Tatsumi approached the three women.

"Kinaia, are you busy?" Kinaia shook her head. "Then do you mind wrapping things up here? We've already patrolled most of the area, but I've got to take care of another matter."

"What," Gina teased. "Do you have to go buy Hibari a gift?"

Tatsumi visibly stiffened. "O-of course not. This is business!" He looked back to Kinaia. "It shouldn't be anything you can't handle."

"You want me to patrol with Gina and Kanon? I can do that." Tatsumi beamed and gave Kinaia a bow.

"Thanks. I'll make it up to you later. Everyone, be sure to come home alive. What's our motto?"

He, Gina and Kanon all stated at the same time: "Fight not to win, fight to not lose."

Kinaia watched as Tatsumi nodded to his comrades. "Alright. Show Kinaia the ropes as you go along." He then turned to Kinaia. "Thanks again, and best of luck!" Tatsumi turned around and took off at top speed.

Kinaia watched Tatsumi crossed the checkpoint into the Inner Ghetto. Kanon and Gina stepped to either side of her.

"Fight not to win, fight to not lose." Kinaia repeated. "I like it."

"It started out as Tatsumi's motto," Kanon explained. "But now it's the rule of the Defense Squad."

"It makes sense." Kinaia analyzed. She then repeated "I like it."

"If you like it so much," Gina began. "Why not request to become a member of the Defense Force?"

Kinaia smiled. "Maybe I will..." She then remembered why she was in the area to begin with. "Oh! Have either of you seen X?"

Gina and Kanon looked at one another for a moment; their eyes then wandered about, trying to recollect something.

"Oh!" Kanon chirped. "After Me, Gina, Tatsumi and X took care of a Kongou that wasn't too far from here, he asid that he would check the surrounding area."

"Come to think of it," Gina began, her voice worried. "We haven't heard from him since he took off on his own."

Kinaia grew a bit anxious from this new information. "How long ago was that?"

"Uhm, around two?" Kanon checked her communicator for the time. "Oh wow! It's four thirty, Gina!" Kanon's face went from surprise to curiosity. "I've got an email." She opened her communicator and gasped. "It's from X! And I got it an hour ago."

"You haven't checked your communicator in the last two hours?" Kinaia asked, her voice condescending.

"We've been fighting for the past two hours." Gina replied before Kanon could. "Checking an email in the middle of battle is reckless, even for me."

Kinaia nodded. "I didn't mean to sound upset or anything."

"Upset?" Gina asked, subdued. "Who said anything about that?" Gina shrugged. "You were just asking a question."

"Ah!" Kanon's shout drew their attention. "According to this, X took out three Gboro-Gboros and is examining the area East of the Outter Ghetto."

"On his own?" Gina's voice teetered between rage and excitement. "He's only just become a Private, yet he's making decisions on his own..."

"Should we go after him?" Kanon asked Gina, concern in her voice.

"We have to finish up here, remember?" Gina reminded Kanon. "Our mission takes top priority."

"But...you know what's East of here..." Kanon's voice was wary.

"Of course I do," Gina snapped. "But it makes sense, doesn't it? Hehas to be curious."

"I'm curious, too." Kinaia jumped in. Both Kanon and Gina looked at her as though she had just arrived. "What's going on?"

Gina and Kanon looked to one another.

"Well," Gina started.

"Gina!" Kanon stepped in between the sniper and the blade user. "He asked us to never talk about it!"

"Oh...right..." Gina sighed. She then sported a sneaky grin. "So I won't. But I will tell Kinaia what's over there."

"Gina!"

"That's alright, isn't it? It's not telling her if she figures it out on her own, right?"

Kanon became quiet, mulling it over in her head. "Well, I guess not. But I still don't think that's fair."

"Do you want something bad to happen to our first and only New-Type?" Gina dangled this over Kanon's head.

"Of course not!"

"Well, then, maybe if Kinaia knows, she'll take it upon herself to go investigate."

"...still..." Kanon spoke meekly.

"Ah, if he finds out, I'll handle it." Gina waved Kanon off. "So, East of the Outter Ghetto, almost beyond the Anti-Aragami Wall reinforced with the P53 Bias Factor, is a now closed off area known as Forbidden Sector X."

"Forbidden Sector X?" Kinaia repeated, intrigued.

"Yup. There are Fenrir guards posted around there twenty-four/seven, and they all guard..." Gina let teh suspense sink in. "Nothing."

"Nothing?" Kinaia was dumbstruck.

"Absolutely nothing." Gina smirked.

"So then...why guard it?"

"Because there's nothing there, and Fenrir wants to know why."

"So...what does this Forbidden Sector have to do with X?" Kinaia then stopped; at her previous branch, she had heard rumors that ten years ago an entire sector of an Outter Ghetto's population mysteriously vanished. "Was that sector formally known as..."

"Sector X07." Gina smiled, glad that Kinaia had caught on.

"Sector X07 was said to have had been totaled by Aragami, and all of its people were killed. That's one of the reasons why the Wall was put up."

"Well, that's only part of it." Gina stopped smiling. "According to rumors, of course."

Kinaia caught on quickly. "Of course. Rumors are just rumors."

Gina nodded before continuing. "Rumors also say that there was an explosion that would've taken out the whole Eastern half of the Branch."

"An explosion big enough to take out half of the Branch?" Kinaia whispered.

"Yeah. Crazy rumor, right?" Gina winked at Kinaia. She replied only with a nod. "But, right before the big explosion, some unknown force stopped it. However, the people were gone. Everything still stands; there wasn't even a crater or any explosive residue, but everyone who ever lived there..." Gina stopped.

Kanon finally spoke up. "Poof. Into thin air."

"Wow..." Kinaia marveled at the idea, her face a mask to the gears working in her mind. "That's one hell of a rumor!" She laughed, and Gina and Kanon joined in. It then hit Kinaia like a wrecking ball. "X07 is his code-name because he's from that sector!"

Gina shrugged. "Whether or not he's from there is unknown to me. But it is strange that he'd be called the former name of the now forbidden sector."

"It has to be a coincidence!" Kanon offered hopefully.

Kinaia turned to face the East. "And according to his message, he went in that direction an hour ago?" Both Gina and Kanon nodded. "Then there's no doubt that he feels connected to that place."

Kanon's communicator beeped. Gina's communicator beeped a second afterwards. They checked their mail and then looked at each other. They both read aloud their messages: "All clear to the East. How did your patrol go? I'm back at the Den now. Will be heading out again soon."

The three women stared at one another in silence. "He's back?" Kanon spoke first. "Wow, we didn't even see him."

"Hm. Maybe he didn't go there after all?" Gina shrugged. "At least he didn't get himself killed." Gina lifted her God Arc to her shoulder and motioned to Kanon. "C'mon. We've wasted enough time here." She looked to Kinaia. "You coming?"

Kinaia's gaze held to the East. Something about that message didn't seem right. While she had only met him yesterday, Kinaia doubted that X would pass up an opprotunity to find out more about something. Afterall, he had pressed her about he fighting style on their way back to the Den. "I still owe him for that..." Kinaia muttered.

"Owe him for what?" Kanon asked, suddenly at Kinaia's side. Kinaia jumped back.

"Kanon, when did you get next to me?" She yelled.

"I'm sorry!" Kanon apologized. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me," Kinaia explained. "You just caught me off guard!"

"Well, I'm sorry for that, too."

"Owe him for what?" Gina asked, not interested in the difference.

"Oh, it's nothing." Kinaia laughed.

"What?" Gina probed. "Did he say something you didn't like and you want to tell him off?" Kinaia looked shocked for a moment but then shook her head no. "Oh, so I'm right? Well, you can lecture him after we get back, okay?"

Kinaia opened her mouth to argue, but decided against it. To say anything more would just waste time. "Fine. Lead the way...

* * *

"You girls alright?" Tatsumi asked the trio of women. "I left you guys about two hours ago and you're just getting in!"

"You left the more difficult work up to us!" Gina shoved Tatsumi out of the way as she went to drop off her God Arc. "I'll be sure to remember this, O'Mori."

Tatsumi rubbed his chest. "Uh, what happened out there?" He asked, turning to Kanon as Gina waited for the elevator.

"Well," Kanon began, weary. "We had to cover a lot of ground, not to mention help with the clean up after the Quadriga attack. And while we were out there, Gina kind of had a little accident-"

"You call having a wagon of rocks fall on your foot a little accident?!" Gina shouted from in front of the elevator. "I swear, had there even been another pebble, I would have needed crutches!"

Kinaia laughed as she placed her God Arc on its stand. "She's just tired and hungry, Tatsumi. We all are after all that heavy lifting."

Tatsumi let out a sigh. "That's good. I thought something horrible might have happened."

"Hello!" Gina's voice made Tatsumi flinch. "My foot! Remember that? And where's this blasted elevator?"

Tatsumi laughed. "Alright, to show my gratitude, dinner's on me tonight!"

"So then you didn't get a date with Hibari?" Kanon asked, causing Tatsumi to shiver. "Aw, and after you bought he a gift..."

"For the last time!" Tatsumi began, his cheeks red. "I was not off buying a gift for Hibari." He turned to Kinaia. "You believe me, right?"

Kinaia laughed as she walked past Tatsumi. "I don't know what to think," Kinaia waved to Tatsumi as the elevator doors finally opened. "Except for what I'd like you to get me for dinner."

Kanon laughed and followed Kinaia to the elevator. Tatsumi sighed, but quickly smiled as he ran to catch up with the others. "Get anything you want, Kinaia. Consider it a welcoming present."

* * *

Kinaia was in her room, preparing to got to bed when she heard a knock at her door. She sood up, and walked over to it. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Kota!"

Kinaia sighed; she really didn't have the energy to deal with him right now.

"What is it?" She spoke through the closed door. She really wasn't in the mood...

"Have you heard from X?" Kota sounded distraught. "I haven't seen him all day."

Kota yelped as Kinaia's room door whizzed open. "What did you just say?"

"I said -" Kota stopped. Kinaia stood before him in a long sleeved shirt with the collar turned up around her neck and shorts. "I, uh, said that I haven't seen X all day." Kota cleared his throat and looked towards the ceiling. "Well, after we split up toady. I'm kind of worried..."

"But Hibari told me that he'd be done with missions by ten o'clock tonight...What time is it, anyway?"

"Eleven thirteen pm." Kota pointed to the digital clock in Kinaia's room. "June third, 2071. Eight hours, fifty three minutes and twenty-two seconds before your alarm is set."

Kinaia had stopped listening after eleven. "Kota, call the elevator to this floor." Her door closed before Kota could respond.

'(Somehow I knew that he wasn't back.)' Kinaia swiftly got dressed into her usual clothes and headed out of the door. Kota was at the end of the hall, holding the elevator doors open. "We're going to the lobby!" Kinaia commanded. Kota slipped into the elevator and pressed the button several times. Kinaia stepped in just as the doors were closing.

The two of them watched the indicator beep as the elevator descended. A few more floors, and they would be out of the rookie section.

"Kota," Kinaia began. "Isn't X in the room next to you?"

Kota nodded. 'I checked there first, but when I didn't get an answer, I headed to all the other floors of the rookie section and asked around. No one had seen X, but Kanon told me you had been looking for him earlier. So, I doubled back and came to your room."

"..."

"What's the matter? Do you think he's in trouble?"

"I don't know," Kinaia answered truthfully. "But he will be when I find him."

Kota inched away from Kinaia, as far as the elevator would allow, before asking "Why? Did he do something wrong?"

"Yeah," Kinaia replied angrily. "And I've been meaning to tell him about himself all day."

Kota gulped. "It wasn't anything... physical, was it?"

"What?" Kinaia asked, fuming. She really hadn't heard what Kota has said.

"I said nothing!" Kota yelped, putting his arms up defensively. "Let's just find him, alright?"

The eleveaor stopped and the doors swooshed open. Kinaia stepped out first and Kota followed a little afterwards. They headed straight for Hibari's desk.

"Hibari." Kinaia began.

"Hello Kinaia. Hello Kota. I'm sorry, but no missions-"

"We're not here for a mission. Where's X?"

"Private X07..." Hibari typed away. "Is registered as in his room."

"What?" Kota gasped. "I was just there a few minutes ago and it was empty!"

"He arrived only a few seconds ago. He was waiting for the elevator, but something was holding it up, so he took the stairs."

Kinaia shot a glare at Kota. "Hey!" He began in defense. "I was following your orders!"

"Whatever. Thanks Hibari. C'mon Kota; we're going to-"

"Private X07 has also asked to not be disturbed. He has also deactivated his communicator for the night."

"Well, we know he's home safe and sound." Kota sounded happy. "I feel better already. Good night, Kin-"

Kinaia grabbed Kota by the back of his collar, preventing him from going anywhere. "He asked you to make sure no one disturbed him?" Kinaia sounded like she was interrogating Hibari.

"Y-yes," Hibari picked up on the tension. "Actually..." The tone of her voice made Kinaia release Kota, but it was the look on her face that made Kinaia's anger subside. "His clothing was really dirty and he looked like he had a really rough day. He hardly even spoke," Hibari stopped as an afterthought.

"Granted, Private X07 doesn't talk much, but this was really strange. He just handed me a note, saying that he was going to his room and that no one should bother him." Hibarai pointed to the wastebasket behind her desk. It was empty of all but torn, yellow scraps of paper. "Licca was here not too long ago asking me if he was alright. Apparently, X07 didn't even want to speak with her... And I thought the two of them were friends."

Kinaia placed a hand to her chin, pensive.

"Ah," Kota began. "He was probably starved after being out all day. He'll be fine after a meal and some rest."

"Private X07 didn't request a late night meal, Kota. Nor did he look tired. If anything, he looked like he would be up all night, judging by how hard he was staring at something in his hand. Honestly, I'm worried that something is affecting him, and it may get in the way of his duties."

"Whoa..." Kota sounded flabbergasted. "He didn't even eat?" Kota turned to Kinaia who was still silent. "We've gotta go make sure he isn't dead!"

"He's not injured, Kota." Both Kinaia and Hibari spoke at the same time. Kota looked between the two of them.

"He could be hurting on the inside, then."

Both women looked to Kota. He had a sad look on his face, but that changed when he noticed that they were looking at him.

"Well, I'm not wrong." Kota laughed. "But anyway, if X doesn't want to be disturbed, then we should respect that. I may have only known him for a month, but he's the kind of guy that'll ask for help if he needs it. So, until then, I'm going to bed. Good night!"

Kota made his way upstairs to the elevator. In a few seconds, he was on it and headed to his room.

"Perhaps Kota is right." Kinaia looked up at Hibari. "Private X07 is strong, and not just as a God Eater. I'm sure whatever problems he's having will be dealt with in no time. If you'll excuse me..." Hibari lifted a portion of the desk and stepped from behind it. "Good night, Private Tsumi." Hibari bowed and made her way tot he elevator.

Kinaia sighed; there was no point in dwelling on X any further. "Hey, held the elevator for me, would you?" Kinaia jogged to catch up with Hibari. '(I guess I can talk to him tomorrow.)' Kinaia thought to herself as the elevator went up to the rookie's section. She stared at the floor number X and Kota's rooms were on. The elevator stopped one floor above it, and she got off. She waved to Hibarir one final time and headed to her room...

**Elsewhere...**

"So..." Johannes von Schicksal stared at his laptop in his office. "The first step has been taken. I'll admit, Private 'X07'," Johannes closed his laptop and reclined in his chair, placing his arms on the rest. "You made your first move earlier than I had originally anticipated."

He closed his eyes as a sinister smile graced his lips. "Paylor was right about that, but no matter. I'm the one who was correct about the outcome. Everything is beginning to come together; soon, this machine will have all of its parts and you, X07, will be its operator." Johannes looked to the picture of a turbulent ocean storm framed on his wall.

"Tell me, Paylor. Do you think 'X07' will sink...or will he be one of the few smart enough to swim?"

_And that ends chapter 8! This chapter is the longest by far with 8190 words! Phew! Well, it looks like I'm going to have to be referring back to the game for dialogue pretty soon, as more introductions are on the way – along with a few other things. Feel free to leave a review – who knows; maybe it'll help keep this amazing momentum I have and make me write more!_

_Until then, stay frosty everyone!_

_Xen Kenshin_

_P.S. Do you think I need a new catchphrase? I mean, 'Stay frosty' seems a bit stale to me now. Leave a comment and a suggestion if you care about me! :3_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Nine chapters in about what..a month? In all seriousness people. Do NOT get used to this. Chapter ten is typically my "rapid update turning point" so as we near that precipise keep that in mind! Another order of business: Cookies._

_The first cookie goes to __SaudreOfSunday for finding Kota's quote in chapter 7! If you remember, back in chapter two I posted X07's bio and in the 'Extra Details' section I posted a ton of quotes that would be popping up later on and promised cookies to those who found them. Well, SaudreOfSunday was the first one to cash in on that!_

**Disclaimer: These are not actual, edible cookies that you will be able to eat, nor are they the cookies used by your internet browser. If anything, they can be called 'Kudos Cookies' since locating these quotes will earn you said cookie, and will be presented to you in the foreword of the next chapter. **

**Only one cookie per pen name. Cookies are nonrefundable. Eating this non-edible cookie that doesn't really exist may lead to the following or any combination of or all of these symptoms:**

**Sadness, loss of sanity, empty stomach syndrome, perfectly normal blood sugar levels, desire for a real cookie, wondering just how on Earth you did that, as well as sickness and/or death...since the internet carries viruses. **

_Kudos to you, SaudreOfSunday!_

_Okie dokes, official foreword stuff, ago-go!_

_That was an interesting chapter, wasn't it? We not only got to see how the canon cast interacts with one another, but also how Kinaia, our first ever introduced OC, acts around them AND I was able to sneak in a few effects that X has had on people in his one month at the Fenrir Far East Branch. I'd say that I accomplished some pretty complicated things rather well._

_Coming back to the present now; I KNOW that you're all wondering just what the heck X was up to in the previous chapter for...ten hours, if I'm donig the math right. Well, we know that he was helping the Defense Squad, but there was much, much more to that now, wasn't there? So, in order to answer your -and my- questions, here's chapter nine!_

_One last thing; Since this is TECHNICALLY a flashback chapter (or maybe a recap chapter?) I'll be reverting to the 'old-school' First-Person point of view style for this chapter. Why? Because my author's instincnts tell me that it'll be way, WAY more descriptive that way. Onto the chapter!_

**Chapter 9 – X Marks The Spot**

My eyes snapped open in the middle of the night. For the fourth time.

"_Sector X07 is officially nonexistent as of ten years ago."_

"_Aragami did annihilate that sector, but then...something annihilated the Aragami **and **the sector they were in. There were no survivors."_

"_So you can understand our surprise when you said you were born there."_

"_Eyewitnesses say that there was an explosion of sorts...and then, something stopped that explosion...and finally, nothing."_

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get their comments out of my head. No matter how many times I rubbed my eyes, I couldn't forget the expressions of the Defense Squad. No matter how much I tried to convince myself, I couldn't let it go...

No matter how much I hated to admit it, that place still held meaning to me.

I sighed, and closed my eyes one more time. '(If I can sleep over the sound of gunfire,)' I thought to myself. '(Then I sure as hell won't lose sleep over some renegade memories...)'

I always hated being wrong...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

_I was three years old. This was easily the first concreate memory I had; something that I could recall at will and pick apart details, instead of having some child's feeling of attachment. No, this was a genuine memory, and tonight the bmemory wanted me to remember it._

"_What do you think...?" The voice faded out right before it said my name; apparently I was only half asleep._

"_Oh!" I can't believe I remembered how I sounded as a child. "It's...shiny!"_

"_Ha ha," This voice was masculine where the first one was feminie. "Shiny works..."_

_My parents. This was the first time in years I was thinking about them._

"_What are we going to ca..." Something else was there..._

"_I don't know." My mother. She was looking at me, but I could not see her face. "Why don't you work on that?"_

"_Me?" Whatever it was, it was a heavy burden... no. Responsibility was a better word._

"_I don't see why not." My father. His laugh was boisterous. "After all...together forever."_

_Even as a child I knew that concept was immense. "Really?"_

"_Yes, really." My mother laughed, but I couldn't remember the sound. _

"_Really really?" I asked a second time._

"_Of course." My father rubbed his beard. I remembered that at one point, I had wanted a beard just like his. "Something like this doesn't just vanish over night!"_

My father didn't know how wrong he was. Things did vanish overnight, things that when I was without, I would begin to grow cold...

_This was another memory that my subconscious decided to throw onto the list of 'things keeping me awake'. I was six year old, and playing with someone. My mother had told me to be careful as I played with them since they were younger than me. I had heeded her words, but only so much; this younger child was very important to me and I wouldn't hurt them, therefore I didn't need her words to tell me to protect them._

"_I want to go there." The child pointed._

"_We can't." I denied them. "That's a very scary place with monsters in every corner."_

"_Monsters? What's a monster?" The child asked._

"_Iunno," I answered truthfully. "But these monsters are called...Aragami."_

"_What's an Aragami?"_

"_A monster."_

"_So, are all Aragami monsters?"_

"_I think so. But maybe there's a nice one out there."_

"_Are all monsters Aragami?"_

_I had been told that the child was yong and still learning, so I should watch what I said around them. "Nah." I laughed. "There are some monsters out there that aren't Aragami."_

"_There are?" The child asked, their voice in wonder._

"_Mhm..." I had a plan in my mind. At that age, it was a harmless joke._

"_What do those monsters look like?"_

"_Like this!" I yelled, putting two sticks in my mouth like fangs and holding leaves over my head. The child yelled and took off crying. "Wait!" I called, spitting out the sticks and dropping th eleaves. "That's the scary place!"_

Even after years of reliving that dream, I could never see what happened after the exact moment. My dream would always careen away fat the same point but then return somewhere in the midst of my memory.

_I had my back pressed up against the Wall. It was the wall my parents told me would keep us safe and the monsters out. So far, it was working wonders. I heard heavy, impossibly lound footsteps on the opposite of the wall, but I dared not poke my head out. I was holding the child in my arms, covering their mouth and my own just incase._

_I waited until the footsteps were nearely gone before I looked. I had glimpsed an Aragami that day, and it was terrifing. So terrifing, in fact, I still couldn't recall what it looked like to this day._

**Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!**

Groggy, I moved my hand along the floor near my bed. I found my communicator and disabled the alarm. I sat up in bed and yawned. Waking up tired was nothing new to me, but it was still a nussaince. I heaved my legs out of the sheets and began my morning rituals.

By eight a.m, my room and my body were clean. I had eaten a full meal, done some reps in the training room to keep myself limber and was downstairs as Hibari officially opened for business as a 'mission maiden'.

"Ah, Private X07. Good morning."

"Good morning." I replied.

"I see we're both right on schedule." Hibari smiled at me.

"As always." I nodded. "What'd you got?"

"Mainly requests from multiple areas to repel small Aragami such as Cocoon Maidens and Ogretails. There are also some Zygotes in the area as well."

"Zygotes? Those floating Aragami that look like part human, part elephant...bubble things?"

"That's a Zygote, alright." Sakuya's voice did not catch me off guard; I had heard her coming.

"Good morning, Sakuya." Hibari greeted.

"Good morning, Hibari. Good morning _Private_ X07."

"Good morning." I replied, ignoring the pride in Sakuya's voice.

"So, you want a hand with those small fries?" Sakuya offered.

"Why not?" I shrugged.

"Gee, try not to sound too enthusiastic, _private._"

"No promises, sergeant." I spoke in monotone.

Hibari giggled at our exchange. "Then I'll fill out the paper work right away!"

_**Page Break**_

"So, any luck?" I asked Licca.

"Sorry X, but it looks like you're missing a few materials. I can't upgrade your Tail Sword: Silver just yet." Licca pulled away from the examining lens. She swiveled it around to me so that I could get a better look at my God Arc.

I only shook my head. "I trust your judgement." In reality, I still couldn't grasp all of the intracises of God Arc technology, but Licca didn't need to know that.

"Alright, then," Licca began, taking off her gloves. "If you won't take a look why don't we take a lunch break? You do still owe me, and it's been over a month."

I let out a chuckle. "You're right." I picked up my God Arc from the examining table. "Let me just put this away and-"

**Beep! Beep! Beep!**

I went into my pocket with my free hand and retrived my communicator. "This is X."

"X? It's Tatsumi!" I could hear people's hushed voices in the background. "I'm patrolling the Outter Ghetto with Kanon and Gina. I requested backup with Hibari but she said Lindow was out, Soma's not doing missions today, and Kota and Sakuya are on gunner training."

"You need me to cover you guys?" I asked. I looked up; Licca was watching me as I spoke on the phone. I noticed that we were the only people in Storage, and that my phone was pretty loud.

"Shun and Karel are out on some stupid mission trying to make a little extra money and there are multiple large Aragami in and aronud the area." Tatsumi continued, not able to hear me over the people. I guessed that he was leading civilians away form the impending fight zone. "I need backup!" I cast a look at Licca; she was putting her gloves back on and inspecting my God Arc as I held it.

"Hibari said you were on standby. Can you assist?" Tatsumi sounded like he was out of options. I looked to Licca as she stood up straight. She gave me a thumbs up and a pat on the shoulder.

"Send me the coordinates." I spoke, hopefully loud enough for him to hear. "I'll be there ASAP."

"Understood, private. Tatasumi out!" I closed my communicator and put it in my pocket. Since I had been returning from missions all day, my item stock was already good. Plus, I had given all of the materials I had already gathered to Licca.

"Licca-"

"I'll put everything you gave me in storage for you. Your God Arc is all set, and so are those new bullets you've been working on. Don't forget to double check your stun grenades. It sounded like you'll be facing a few opponents, so any advantage you can get will help." I stared at her, awestuck.

"I know; we'll take a raincheck. Now go and make sure Tatsumi and the others get home safe, okay?"

"Okay." I gave her a curt nod. "But what I was going to say was 'I had no idea you painted your fingernails'."

Licca's face became a shade of pink that swirled into the marks on her face. "W-will you just get out of here?" She shooed me away.

_**Page Break**_

Growing up and having to take care of yourself at the same time has its complications. I had to learn how to adapt quickly if I wanted to evade Aragami and all the human dangers as well. Not to mention that I had to eat. There was one time, earlier in my life, I had found a few plants that I recognized as edible so I immediately jumped on them.

Little did I know, that there were still a few strands of natural wildlife remaining. It wasn't anything like a 'dog' or another domesticated creature Sakaki had told me and Kota about in his previous lectures – honsetly, I can't even imagine what a 'dog' would look like – but it was a small, shelled creature. It had two claws at its front, four skinny legs that it used to scuttle about, and some sort of prickly coat on its back. But its most defining featue was a large, curved tail tipped with a deadly stinger, that was almost as long as its body.

I told the people I was staying with about my encounter, and how it had tried to jab at me with its tail, even though I was exponentially larger than it. They laughed, and told me "What you saw was a scorpion. Honestly, seeing any animal nowadays is rare. Maybe this was some sort of sign to you from the gods that aren't on this planet?"

Years later, I now stood along with Tatsumi, Kanon and Gina and watched as another scorpion walked along the Outter Ghetto's Wall, scavenging for food. Only this time, the scorpion was exponentially larger than I was.

"First time seeing a Borg Camlann?" Tatsumi asked, giving hand signals to Gina and Kanon. I nodded; it was gray in color, and instead of sporting claws, it had two halves of a shield that resembled a menacing face. Aside from that, it looked just like the scorpion I had encountered before.

"Well then," Tatsumi commanded. "Use that gun of yours with the others and support me until you figure out its attack patterns."

Tatsumi crouched low and took off towards the Borg Camlann, using cover as he saw necessary. I took only a second to collect myself, then quickly took after him.

"Private!" Tatasumi hissed when I approached him from behind. I noticed him grab his chest with a look of relief. That relief soon turned to anger. "Didn't I tell you to stick with the gunners?"

"Look at its tail." I commented, pointing to the area in question. "You can see orange flesh beneath its armor. It's been in a battle recently and is weakened. That's why it's trying to find food."

Tatsumi looked upon the Borg with interest in his face. "You're right. Nice attention to detail, X. That's an important skill to have in our line of work."

Kinaia had told me the same thing yesterday.

"Still," Tatsumi turned his attention to me. "I gave you an order. You're not used to fighting this species, and I won't let anyone die on my watch."

"How am I supposed to get experience from the back lines?" I asked rhetorically, my eyes on the target. I could see Tatsumi was taken aback by my comment in my preriphrial vision. "And what better time to get experience than on a weakened enemy?"

Tatsumi sighed. "You've made your point, X." He motioned for me to follow him. "Just don't bite off more than you can chew."

Tatsumi and I snuck up on the Borg Camlann and he engaged his God Arc's devouring form. I followed right behind him.

"Don't worry," I whispered to him. "I will." He and I released out God Arcs, the jaws snapping down on the creatures hind legs. It let out a shout as the teeth of our God Arcs ripped apart its Oracle Cells and harvested them as fuel for our Burst Mode.

However, I noticed that my God Arc was nearly flung from my hand. No doubt, the same had happened to Tatsumi.

"We can't get past its armor! Pull back!" Tatsumi ordered, sliding backwards as the Borg turned to face us. I was right beside him as he took a second leap back.

"I'll aim for the tail!" I offered. "It's already weak there." I slipped to my right, avoiding the Borg's rzaor sharp feet as it stepped forward.

"Then I'll keep its attention in the front!" Tatsumi yelled, stepping to his left. With its two targets seperated, the Borg looked confused as to what it should do next. It looked left and right, at me then Tatsumi, before crouching low with a growl.

"Watch out for its tail!" Tatsumi roared, raising its shield. The Borg whipped around, its tail coming at me at top speed. I jumped into the air – but I wasn't high enough. Summoning strength within me from the Burst Mode, I hopped a second time in the air. I felt something semi-solid beneath my feet; I looked down and saw white particles beneath me slowly disipating, as well as the tail completely avoiding me.

'(Oracle Cells...)' I realized. Burst Mode excited a God Eater's Oracle Cells, apparently to such a point that they could be used as a propulsion system. That explained why I could always dodge faster and further while in Burst Mode.

I landed, and took off between the Borg's legs. Behind me, Tatsumi was in the air slashing at the Borg's shield, keeping its attention just as he said he would. I pivoted on my heel once I was clear of its legs and jumped. I was on level with the broken exoskeleton, the orange flesh of the Borg Camlann was still bleeding.

I swung my Tail Sword: Silver twice, in the shape of an X. Each time my balde connected, I heard what sounded like bones breaking from great pressure, and Orcale Cells dispursed from the surface in flashes of white and orange.

'(Critical hits!)' I realized as I performed a doube jump to repeat the process. Two more hits, and the Borg reared up on its back legs to let out a howl. I used this opprotunity to propel myself forward in a ball, my blade out first, and further rip the tail to sunders.

I landed next to Tatsumi with my back to the enemy. I ran forward just as Tatsumi performed one of the fastest one-eighty turns I had ever seen. "Get clear of its projectile attack!" Tatsumi notified me as he and I leaped behind a rock.

No sooner had we grunted from the impact, there were about six explosions behind us. The rock we were using as cover had been destroyed, but we were unscathed.

Well, for the most part.

"X!" Tatsumi grabbed my right shoulder and pulled me towards him. I felt his hand put pressure on my left shoulder with a bandage on his palm. "It's only a flesh wound!" I urged him, hearing the Borg Camlann's footsteps get closer.

"The Borg Camlann has a nuerotoxin in its body, just like the old scorpions did. If we don't cut off the circulation, you'll be paralyzed!"

"That explains the numbness in my arm and left leg..." I gritted my teeth. I used my God Arc as leverage to stand. "I can keep fighti-"

As it turned out, the Borg Camlann hadn't been walking towards us. It had put its shield over its face, primed its stinger, and sprinted towards where Tatsumi and I were holed up. Now, I gripped its piercer with my already numb left arm as it continued to charge forward.

"X!" Tatsumi yelled, taking off after it. I could see his head over the prickles of the Borg's coat as he tried to keep up with it. I also happened to spot some exposed orange flesh near what may have been its eyes. With my right hand, I shifted my God Arc to gun form. It was a risky and shaky move that nearly cost me my weapon and ribcage, but it worked. I took the best aim I could, and fired several Spark shots into the weak spot.

The bullets I had been working on as of late were relatively simple, but practical. Upon impact of the normal bullet, a sticky orb would be deployed. From that orb, several smaller shots would fire, making a total of five impacts. After the five extra shots vanished, the orb that was deployed earlier would explode, causing even more damage. The Borg stopped mid-charge and howled; it opened its shield and lifted its tail – and me with it- above its head.

I aimed my gun at the needle I was currently holding onto. '(It doesn't get more friendlier than this...)' I shot the second bullet I had prepared in my Arc. It was known as Spark::mortar. If fired a bullet affected by gravity that exploded on impact.

And the gun was point-blank.

The needle shattered, and with nothing to hold onto, I fell onto the Borg's body. Shaky but determined, I landed on my feet and lifted my Arc now in blade form. I aimed downward and fired the Blaze/Radial shot of the Tail Sword: Silver. The Borg shrieked and tried to fling me off, but I had hooked my Tail Sword: Silver into its exoskeleton. I continued firing the Impulse Edge until the Borg finally dropped.

I leaped off of it - "Firing a recvery bullet!" - and felt a rush of vitality overtake me. I looked over my shoulder to find Kanon aiming her gun at me. Green mist slowy disipated into the air. "You okay?"

I nodded to her.

"Not bad for your first time, private." Gina commented, firing away at the downed Borg.

"Where's Tatsumi?" Kanon asked. I turned around, following her gaze. No sooner had I looked, Tatsumi was in the air, coming down blade first like a swooping hawk. He pierced throguht the flesh, vanishing inside of the Aragami momentarily, before coming out of its open mouth. Amazingly, he wasn't even covered in fluids.

The Borg let out one final, rattling yell, and then fell silent.

"And that's how it's done!" Tatsumi cheered, making his way towards us. "Great job, everyone!" He stopped in front of me and looked me over, particularly at my left shoulder. He laughed and patted the same shoulder, yet I felt no pain. "Especially you, X." He chuckled. "Gotta love those recovery bullets, right? Flesh wounds vanish instantly."

In the distance, a ragged roar quickly killed the Defense Squad's high spirits.

"Look," Gina pointed to the ground. "There's a trail of blood from where we found the Borg leading further out of the Ghetto. No doubt whatever injured it is still around, looking to finish a meal." She looked to Tatsumi. "What's our next course of action?"

"Our job is far from over, everyone. Let's move out!" Tatsumi ordered.

_**Page Break**_

We found what had been fighting with the Borg Camlann.

It was a Kongou, and just as Gina said, it was prowling around looking for a meal. I noticed gray armor in its left hand. "That's from the Borg Camlann's tail." I pointed out.

"I'll be damned." Tatsumi whistled. "Good job Gina, you too, X."

"So, can I shoot it?" Gina asked, her voice excited.

"Status report, guys. How are we looking for another battle?"

"I can't wait to shoot it." Gina let out a chilling laugh.

"I can still fight!" Kanon pumped her fist in Tatsumi's direction.

Tatsumi looked at me. I gave him a nod.

"Well then," Tatasumi smiled. "Let's put an end to this monkey's business!"

He, Kanon and I took off towards the Kongou as Gina began sniping it. The Kongou was either really smart, or just lucky because right before the shots connected, it beat its chest and the Borg's armor deflected most of Gina's laser shots. It then slapped the ground, ausing a chuck of the armor to fly towards us. Tatsumi swore as he was sent flying backwards.

"Gina will get him!" I spoke to Kanon before she could look back. "Give me cover fire!"

"Okay!" Kanon's voice sounded totally different now. She sounded much more...battle hungry. "Just be sure to stay out of my way!" Before I could respond, Kanon broke right. I let it go for now, but I had the strangest feeling...

Kanon went around the Kongou as I began attackng its arms. The Oracle Cells there were already unbound, no doubt from its fight with the Kongou, so I figured it was the best place to start. I had already landed three blow and was about to land my fourth when a red radial bullet sent me flying backwards.

"Didn't I tell you to stay out of my line of fire?!" Kanon snapped at me as I got back up. The Kongou reared up on its legs, lifting its arm over its head as though it were flaminco dancing. I swooped in low, and unloaded a barrage of my own Radial bullets, thanks to my Impulse Edge.

"Uwah!" Kanon yelled, as she was sent flying backwards by my fire.

"Oh..." I spoke dully over the downed Kongou. "Sorry." I wasn't.

Heat over my right shoulder. Heat along my cheek, and even more heat form the small, controlled explosion on the Kongou's face. I looked over my left shoulder and found Gina firing away at the Kongou.

"You nearly hit me." I called out to her.

"What?" She replied, laughing manically. "Did you want me to?"

Okay. These people were insane. Perhaps they caught it from the Merchant?

"X, look alive!" Tatsumi yelled, emerging from behind Gina. I spun around all too late; the Kongou's stomach was right above me and – a mist of Oracle Cells sent me flying backward. Again. Luckily, Kanon's friendly fire got me out of the Kongou's attack range. I hit the gorund rolling, shifting my Arc into gun mode.

"Tatsumi, I'll cover you, too!" I loaded my spark shots into my gun and opened fire on the Kongou's back.

Tatsumi stopped beside me. "Haven't you fought a Kongou before with the other recruit? Kota, was it?"

I nodded. "But Kota doesn't shoot me as much as these two." I then noticed Gina give me a glare beside me. When she got there, or how she mamaged to keep her aim on the Kongou with her eye on me, I did not know. "Mainly Kanon..." I muttered, focusing on the battle again.

_**Page Break**_

"Damn!" Tatsumi exhaled as he and I collected Kongou materials with our God Arcs. "That was one hell of a battle. Let's head back to the Den to regroup and restock before we continue patrol."

Gina and Kanon nodded. I checked the watch on my left wrist for the time. "Actually," I began. "If it's alright with you, Tatsumi, I have plans already."

Tatsumi looked at me, no doubt trying to read my face for clues. "Well, will you be going on a mission?"

I shook my head. "I'll be in the Outter Ghetto for a while and I'll keep my God Arc on hand. Call me if you need me," I waved to Tatsumi as I turned away and headed back towards the Den. "Just don't need me, alright?"

I could feel their gazes on my back. "Understood!" Tatsumi's voice was surprisingly supportive. "You have a girl to get to, don't you?!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. How the hell did he...? I looked over my shoulder at Tatsumi and shrugged. "Something like that."

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"Happy Birthday, Erina." I stood in the doorway of her lavish home with her giantic present from me in tow. She looked up at me, her eyes bored. But the moment they fell onto the present, her eyes lit up.

"Come in, come in!" She laughed. It was cut short the moment she saw my guest. "Who's he?" She asked, her voice low like a lion preparing to pounce.

"Oh hi. I'm a friend of X's. My name is-"

"Did I ask you?" She cut him off. "X, who is this?"

"His name is Kota," I looked over at him when I introduced him. Kota's jaw hung open and his eyes were wide with disbelief. I placed my index finger under his chin and closed his mouth. "He and I were recruited into Fenrir at the same time."

Erina looked him up and down. "He's walking with me to the Outter Ghetto. His family lives there and...I've got business there."

I remembered the comments from the Defense Squad two nights ago, how everyone dismissed Sector X07 as a dead zone. I had to find out for myself.

"The Outter Ghetto?" Erina repeated. "So, you don't plan on staying for the entire party?" She was able to hide her disappointment well, but not well enough.

"I'm sorry." My voice didn't sound like it. "But duty calls."

Erina looked me in the eyes. Somehow, her gaze penetrated the sunglasses on my face.

"I see." She made it clear that she knew I was lying. "Personal matters."

Kota looked between me and Erina. "So...how do you two know each other?" He tried to change the subject.

"She's Erina der Vogelwied." I could tell Kota understood by the way his face lost its smile. "I met her when she tried to sneak into the Executive Section of the Den."

"Whoa!" Kota jumped back in his trademark way. "That's a hardocre little girl!"

"You never did tell me why _you _were there that day, X." She tried to ursurp me.

Kota looked from Erina to me. "I work there." I said to Erina. I shot a look to Kota, my face telling him to let it go. He got the message.

"I guess he can come in, too." Erina sighed. "But he can't stay for the party."

"I didn't want to, anyway!" Kota shot back childishly. I shook my head at Kota.

"Unfortunately, I can only drop off my gift." I hefted the large, rectangular case onto my shoulder. "Kota, wait for me outside."

"Huh?" Kota looked at me.

"I won't be long." I promised.

"Uh...alright." His voice was unsure.

"I'll bring you back a piece of cake." Food was his understandable, and relateable, weakness.

"Alright!" Kota saluted and stood at attention. He turned his back to the door and stood guard. Erina shot me a look.

"You're giving away pieces of _my _brithday cake?"

"You don't need the cavaties," I retaliated as I walked in. "And besides, you need to learn how to play nice with others..."

I heard Kota laugh at my comment as the door closed. "Hypocrite!" He undoubtedly thought I wouldn't hear him...

It seemed like Erina already knew how to play nice with others, judging by how many children were running about in the large home. Erina stepped forward and clapped, drawing their attention. The children looked at her, but their gaze quickly fell on me and my God Arc. There were scattered oohs and aahs.

"Everyone, this is X." She introduced me. "He was one of my brother's comrades, and he's the first New-Type God Eater to ever join Fenrir."

I crouched low, putting the case on the floor. My real intention, however, was to get closer to Erina's ear. "I'm the first New-Type to this Branch. I'm not sure if I'm the first New-Type in all of Fenrir."

"Details." Erina whispered back, verbally shrugged me off. "He's a frined of mine, so I expect you all to show him the utmost respect." The children nodded, their eyes still on my God Arc. "Oh X," Erina pointed to a pile of presents that was taller than I was. "Put your present over there, please."

I nodded and lifted the case again. Some children whispered about how strong I was. In all honesty, my God Arc felt weightless, and so did the case. I, of course, knew better; the Oracle Cells in my body gave me near-superhuman abilities. I set the case down lightly and placed my God Arc on the floor near me. Curious children, which were all of them, rushed forward. I turned my head around and they all stopped on a dime.

"I hope you weren't thinking of touching my God Arc." My voice was deep and sinister.

They all shook their heads.

"Good." I commented. "Because it'll eat you if you touch it without my permission."

Every child took several steps away from me. I smiled to myself until I heard a lone pair of footsteps approaching. I stopped messing with the case and looked over my shoulder. "Erina..." I began, scolding her. "What did I just say?"

"Oh please," She began, sticking a finger towards my God Arc. "You're obviously lying."

"If I'm lying, why is your hand shaking?" Erina retracted her finger. I let out a chuckle. "Go ahead and try it, then." I stood up and hefted my God Arc into my hand. I placed my right hand over its core. Erina extended her still shaky hand towards my God Arc.

The blade suddenly began to shrink down as black tendrils sprouted from the core. Erina jumped back, as did several other children, as black jaws formed around the blade, making it look like a tongue.

"See?" I said. Slowly the jaws broke apart into tendrils and returned to my Arc. My blade expanded once more, and it took its original shape as my Tail Sword: Silver.

Everyone was silent.

"Erina," I addressed her. Her entire body bolted as her eyes left my God Arc. "You may touch it." She looked from me to my Arc. "You have my permission." Erina shook her head vigorusly. I shrugged. "Your loss."

In a disply of bravery, Erina darted forward. The children let out squeals of shock; Erina placed her hand on the hooked blade of my Tail Sword: Silver. "It's..." Erina began, marveling the feel. "Warm..."

The kids watched as Erina caressed the blade. "C-can I touch it?" One boy asked. I looked to him, pretending to look him up and down in analysis. I gave him a nod, and he nervously, yet briskly, stepped forward. Erina stepped to the side and with a large breath and puffed up chest, the boy placed a hand on the hanlde.

"It is warm!" He declared. After that, every child demanded a turn with my God Arc...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"So much for not taking so long!" Kota complained. I extended my left hand to him. His nose wiggled a bit at the plate in my hand. "Is that chocolate cake?!" Kota tok the plate form me and lifted the plate acting a a cover. "It is! Sweet!"

Kota dug into the cake as I turned around to bid Erina farewell.

"Will you be coming back soon?" Ernia asked, her voice masking the anticipation well.

I shrugged. "I'll come by whenever I can. But for now, I have business to attend to."

"Will you be going alone?" Erina asked. I nodded. "Then be careful." I gave her a second nod. "And don't die."

I felt the weight behind her words. I placed my God Arc on the ground and removed her baret wuth my left hand. I placed my right hand on her head before she could react and ruffled her hair. She let out a grunt and complained about me messing up her hair.

I smiled at her as she tried to fix her hair. I made sure she was looking at me before placing her baret on my head. "I think this suits me better." Erina put on a grumpy face and snatched her baret off of my head.

"Geez," She smacked it against her palm. "For all you know, you could have head lice."

Kota choked a little on his cake... and his laugh.

"I'll be seeing you, Erina." I lifted my God Arc and gestured to Kota. He licked his fingers clean and picked up his gun.

"You'd better." Erina spoke, adjusting her baret. She cast a look at Kota. "And you'd better be alone."

Kota narrowed his eyes at her. "It was nice meeting you, too." His tone was cynic. "Happy Birthday, and thanks for the cake."

"Humph." Erina closed the door in our faces.

"What a little br-" Kota noticed the scowl on my face. "Little...ball of...sunshine." He cleared his throat. "So, X. Where are you headed now?"

"Out." I replied curtly.

"You told that girl you'd be going alone. Is that right?"

"Why?" I asked cautiously.

"N-no reason." Kota replied, looking away.

I noticed Erina's door was still open a crack. She was looking throguh the crack, listening in on me and Kota's conversation.

"Were you wondering if I'd be going on a mission with Kinaia?" I probed, pretending that I did not notice Erina.

Kota froze. "Wh-why would I care about that?" Kota laughed nervously. "We're all comrades here."

"Maybe you want to be more than comrades?" I offered, nodding my head towards Kota. I saw Erina jump, surprised I had noticed her. She opened her door a little more and now looked at Kota.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Kota turned his back to me and the door.

"I guess you don't like Kinaia, then." I shrugged, my attention on Erina. I waved my hand at her, urging her to go inside. Of course, she didn't listen.

"Of course I like Kinaia!" Kota spun around. Erina closed the door without making any noise. The kid was smooth.

"Oh?" My voice was low.

"Yeah!" Kota continued. "She's pretty, strong and-"

"And?" I goaded.

"And you set me up!" Kota realized, shocked.

"I did no such thing." I replied in monotone.

"I don't like her, X!"

"But you just said that you did."

"I don't mean like _that, _X! For goodness' sake, we're co-workers!"

"You are at that age, Kota..."

"What age?!" He howled.

"The age where you start finding girls pretty-"

"I didn't say she was pretty _and_ strong; I said she was pretty strong!" Kota blatantly lied.

"Sure you did..." I spoke skeptically.

"And anyway, don't give me that!" Kota pointed at me accusingly. "You're not that much older than I am! For all we know, you're the one who likes her!"

"Maybe I do." I teased. Messing with Kota had become a bit of a personal past-time. "Maybe I don't."

Kota gritted his teeth. "It's never a straight answer with you, is it?"

"It is when I say no." I responed dully. "My no's are absolute."

"..." Kota glared at me.

"..." I maintained an innocent expression.

Kota sighed, obviously accepting that he had lost this particular bout. "Still," He moved onto a new topic. "I had no idea that you had a soft spot for kids."

"I don't." I replied in monotone. "Tsubaki ordered me to befriend her. She said that the girl would be in pieces after she lost her brother."

Kota remained silent. I could see gears working in his eyes. My comment had gotten to him, but why?

"It was either me, or Soma..." I spoke in a low tone.

"Well then, Tsubaki made the right choice!" Kota laughed. He then stopped, and in a sly voice added "Well, at least she picked the lesser of two evils."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, although I already knew what he was getting at.

"Nothing, nothing." Kota chuckled deviosly. "My no's are absolute."

"And I'm the hypocrite?" My tone was lethal.

Kota gasped. "You heard...I mean...what do you mean?"

I remained silent. Saying nothing always got to him more than arguing with him. He and I began walking towards the Inner/Outter Ghettor checkpoint.

"Anyway," Kota began, trying to avoid returning to the argument he had lost. "Shouldn't you be taking that case back to the Den?" He pointed to the rectangular case in my left hand.

"It's garbage." I replied, tossing it into a random pile of junk near the checkpoint. Kota looked at it, and then to me. "What?"

"You may say that you befriended Eric's little sister since Tsubaki told you so," Kota smiled at me. "But I think you actually like the idea of being a big brother figure.

I knew Kota visisibly saw me flinch, he had been staring at me. "Think whatever you want." I walked beyond the checkpoint after the Fenrir agents checked my credentials.

"I will!" Kota called out to as I walked East. "I'll even introduce you to my little sister someday!"

Oh yeah; Kota has a little sister. That would explain why my comment about Erina falling to pieces earlier hit home. I decided not to think about familiy ties. Right now, I had something way more important to take care of...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Walking East through the Outter Ghetto as a God Eater was an amazing thing. The people there met me with such mixed emotion and feelings, that by the time I reached the outskirts, I had no idea what to think anymore.

Some met me with respect and gratitude. There was this single father who pointed me out to his two sons. When I walked over to greet them, seeing as how they were making such a big deal about me, the father bowed. And not just a typical bow either; he bowed so deeply that his head passed right by the heads of his sons.

"I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for fighting to protect all of us." I could only watch him in disbelief. His two sons followed suit closely behind them, and also voiced their thanks.

"You don't have to bow to me." I spoke up quickly. "I'm just doing my job."

The father looked up first. "Such a modest young man."

"I'm not," I ensured him, remembering the day I was tied to a chair as Schicksal walked around me. "I'm honestly just doing my job. It's either this or..." What other option did I have?

"I understand, then." The father's voice was suddenly low and reflective. "You fight simply because there is no other option." He bowed again, this time it was short and quick. "I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable, God Eater. Come along now, children."

"But dad," I heard one ask as they walked past me. "Didn't you say God Eaters fought to protect us?"

"They do." I knew he was speaking loudly so that I could hear him.

"But he said it's his job. He didn't sound like-"

"They all have their reasons, little one." The dad interrupted. "Some of them just don't like talking about it."

Then there were the less...grateful ones.

"You filthy Fenrir scumbag!" I heard the shout before the footsteps. Still, my reflexes were faster than the man throwing junk at me. I turned around and caught the brittle metal he had thrown at me. He gasped, obviously surprised that I wan't caught by surprise. In a display of strength, I broke the metal in my hand and let the dust trickle through my fingers.

"What grudge do you have against Fenrir?" I asked him. The man was in his mid or late fourties and was already going gray in the sides of his hair. He was also going bald in the typical horseshoe pattern and had beady, black eyes that lacked reflections of light. His clothes were dingy and worn but his spirit was now set ablaze with revenge.

Anger filled his face again as he picked up a wooden board. "You bastards took away my wife! My son, my daughter! Everything!" He threw the board. I slapped it to the side with ease.

"They took your family away from you?" I asked. The man must have thought I was taunting him because he stepped over the junk and charged me head on.

"My children were matches!" He lifted his fist as he neared me. "But they died the same day they were recruited!" I caught the man's fist. It felt like a fly had landed on my skin. "And my wife...she...she couldn't live with the pain..."

"Can you live with the pain?" I asked, now gripping the man's fist. He let out a cry. "Answer the question."

"Argh!" He tried to pull his fist from my grasp.

"Can you..." I asked, now bending his hand back. I noticed movement in the building around us. People were watching. "Live with the pain?"

"I...I..." I let the man's hand go, and her fell backwards onto his butt. "I don't know." He buried his face into his hands.

"Well," I began, looking around. "Seeing as how you chose a route different from your wife, I'd say you already made your decision."

The man looked up at me, anger in his eyes yet confusion in his face.

"If you couldn't handle the pain, you'd have given yourself to the Aragami a long time ago. You might as well live on now... for your family's sake."

The man stared at me as he considered my words. I turned my back to him and continued on my way. I hadn't taken ten steps before I felt something hit my back. I stopped, and tunred around. The man, his face red with rage, was picking up a pipe and was bringing it over his shoulder to throw at me.

"How dare you speak to me like you knew my family? Like you know my pain?!" There were shouts of approval from all around me. I guess that people really didn't like God Eaters around here.

I felt something hit the back of my shoe. I checked; it was a rotten fruit thrown by an older woman. All around me, people were gathering items to throw at me. I sighed, lifting my Arc in the air. It shifted to gun form, and I took aim at the man.

"If any of you throw another piece of crap at me, you all die."

My voice froze the air and everyone's movements. "I'll start with him," I then pointed my gun at the child hiding behind the woman who threw the fruit at me. "Then I'll kill your children and force you all to watch."

"We outnumber you!" The man roared, his voice carrying th esound of a wounded and crazed animal.

"Oh really?" I let my gaze wander; I found an old, abondoned building that was in even worse shape than the shacks the people were living in. I could tell no one was in there, so I pointed my gun at it. I fired my Spark bullet that I had used against the Borg and Kongou earlier today. I called it 'Blitz'.

The bullet hit the shack, then the four extra bullets caused the windows to shatter. The sticky orb detonated soon after, and the shack was in flames. "I can destroy your homes in under a second, and I don't miss." At least, I didn't miss stationary targets. "If my bullets can do that to your homes, imagine what I can do to all of you." I then aimed straight up into the air and fired my flare::mortar bullet. The bullet went up, then stopped right over my head, showering embers around me.

"These bullets won't hurt me." I informed everyone. "Because I'm a God Eater. But all of you..." I shifted my gun to blade form.

"Wait," one elderly person spoke up. "I thought God Eaters could only have a blade or a sword!"

"He...he can use both?"

"What is he?"

I began the devouring process, holding my blade up into the air. The jaws formed quickly, and everyone let out shrieks of panic. "All of you are little more than snacks!" I swung my arm down at the man who was still sittig before me. He let out a yell of fear and covered his arms with his face.

The jaws snapped shut in front of him and retracted back into my God Arc.

"So...are you going to let me carry on with my business?" I looked around at the now terrififed people. "Or do I have to kill all of you before I can continue?"

Before I even finsished my sentence, several parents brought their children inside. In a matter of seconds, only the man and I remained in the street once more.

"Heed my words, old man." I told him, staring him in the face. "If you don't appreciate your life for you and your family, I'll be back to claim it." Something about him seemed...familiar? I turned my back to him, not letting my thoughts get the better of me.

I kept walking East, hearing the man's haggard breaths as I got furhter and further away from him. I could see petrified eyes watching me from every window, every crack and crevice of their homes. I didn't look around or linger for too long; I only slipped past the final checkpoint of the Anti-Aragami Wall...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"Halt!" The Fenrir agent called out to me. I disregarded his order completely. I had been walking for some time now, even after the last checkpoint. There were no more houses around, no more signs of life. I had brought a canteen with me since I knew it would be a long journey, and it was laready starting to run dry.

"I said halt, civilian!" He ordered me again. I lifted my God Arc above my head. Instantly, his tone of voice changed. "A God Eater? Here?" The ground looked like a desert, and the sky was gray even though the sun was high. The air was arid, hot and permiated with the faint scent of ash and human despair.

It was just as I remembered it.

"Open the gates!" I stood in front of a small outpost, the Fenrir logo emblazoned on the outter wall, and watched as two Fenrir guards in heavy suits and guns approached me. They used the same model guns as the Fenrir guards who apprehended me a month ago when Schicksal made met he offer I couldn't refuse.

"Are you okay?" The guard on my left asked. I gave him a nod. "Were you seperated from your patrol gorup?" I shook my head. "Do you know the way back to the Den?" I nodded. "Then, why are you out here?"

"I want in." I pointed beyond the outpost and at the large Anti-Aragami wall decorated with quarrentine and no trespassing signs. The guard on my right was clearly taken aback; I could see his head jerk back although he wore a helemt.

"That's Sector X07." He explained. Oddly enough, the two guards sounded alike. It must have been from the respirators built into their suits. "That area is off-limits, even to God Eaters."

"What if there are Aragami inside?" I asked.

The first guard, I noticed he had a red cross on the torso of his suit, laughed. "There's no Aragami in here, kid. There haven't been in years."

The second guard, who sported a white patch in the outline of a gun on his suit, shook his head. "Nothing lives here, sir. Not even we go past the outpost." He laughed. "Haven't you heard about this place?"

I nodded. I had lived here once...

"Well then you should also know that no one is allowed on the inside unless Director Schicksal says otherwise." Red Cross spat at me. He was too much of a jerk to be a medic, in my opinion.

"I don't give a damn." I sapt back. "I want in, and I'm getting in."

Red Cross laughed. "You're a ballsy one, aren't ya-"

"Wait a minute." White Gun spoke up. "What's your name and rank, soldier?"

His voice was more curious than bossy, so I decided to answer his question. "Private X07 of the First Unit. Fenrir Far East Branch"

Red Cross took a step back. "So he _does_ exist..." I looked to him, my eyes sharp. He regained his composure and turned away from me. "Open the gates!"

I looked to White Gun. "Was that all it took?" I asked, my voice skeptic.

"Director Schicksal said that you'd be coming here, someday. I just didn't think it'd be the same day we got his message!" White Gun laughed. He then stopped. "I'm uh...sorry for your loss."

I grit my teeth; just how much did they know?

"You must want some closure, right?" Red Cross asked me. He seemed a lot more sympathetic now that he knew I was directly connected to Schicksal. "Please, go right on in."

I didn't waste any more time. I wakled right past them, intentionally brushing my shoulder into Red Cross, and walked throguh into the outpost. Inside, a third suited guard met me. This one was female, however, judging by the smaller starure and slimer suit. "We were told that if you were to come here to give you these."

I looked down. In her hands was a box of my favorite engergy bars. "Refill this for me." I took the box and handed her my canteen.

"Right away, sir." She bowed and took off down the hall. I packed as many energy bars into my pockets as I could and ate five before she returned. She also carried an unopened bottle of water. "Just incase the canteen isn't enough, sir." I opened the bottle and chugged its contents. The energy bars were dry.

"Thank you." I placed the bottle in her hands. "Give me your frequency so that I can contact this outpost when I'm, ready to leave."

"Sorry, sir," she began. "No signals go in or out of Sector X07."

No signals went in or out? So the place truly was a dead zone...

"Then how do I let you know when I'm ready to get out of there?" I looked at the Anti-Aragmi Wall around Sector X07 and highly doubted there was a doorbell.

"Use this keycard." She handed me a blue and white laminated card with the Fenrir logo on its back. "It will allow you access in and out of Sector X07 whenever you'd like."

I took it and placed it in the pocket of my sniper pants along with my Fenrir identification card. "I'm going."

"Sir," She began, holding up a suit simiar to the one she and the other guards were wearing. "The enviornment in there isn't suitable for normal humans."

"Am I a normal human?" I asked her snidely. I wanted to leave. Now.

"No sir." She replied, her voice downcast.

"Then I'll be going now." I walked past her before she could try to convince me to put on the suit again.

"Y-yes sir. Stay safe in there."

I stopped; that was an odd comment. "Stay safe? I thought nothing was in there?"

"There isn't, sir." She warned. "But you never know what might happen."

I looked over my shoulder, and she was gone. I could hear her footsteps going down the far off hallway. Surely she was just being extra cautious...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

I looked up at the wall covered in 'no tresspassing' 'quaranteened' 'property of Fenrir' and countless other prohibbiting signs. I looked at the key card in my hand and inhaled.

Schicksal knew that I'd be coming here – even more unnerving was that he somehow knew I'd be coming here today. I would have to worry about that later...

I swiped the keycard through the panel jutting from the side of the wall. The red light tunred green and shortly afterward, I picked up the sound of heavy gears shifting into place. Judging by the sound, large cogs were rotating, much like inside of a grandfather clock, as pulling cables that would split the wall in two.

A crack about ten feet high materialized in front of me. '(This must be the door.)' I thought, realizing that splitting the entire wall to make an entrance would be wasteful. From the crack, which was no more than two inches wide, came a rush of foul smelling air. Something familiar of rotten eggs, decomposing organic matter, and...was that ginger?

I coughed; the smell was overbearing. Still, the smell was not going to deter me from finding answers. I slipped through the crack; I had to go in sideways in order to pull myself and my God Arc through in one go. Halfway through, I noticed an identical panel on the inside of the wall. No doubt, that'd be what I would use to get back out. I managed to get in, but I felt the hem of my pants get caught on something. I didn't care; I yanked my foot free, not looking back at the torn fabric. I swiped the keycard on the inside, and the door stopped opening. The gears were silent for a second, then began to make more noise as the doors closed.

I was in. I stood inside of Forbidden Sector X07.

I turned around to look at what remained of the place I once called home – and gasped.

One rumor regarding Sector X07 stated that nothing was left, not even a crater or dust.

Another rumor stated that the place was deserted; those who lived here left a long time ago.

Both rumors, while not entirely true, were grounded in some facts.

While everything looked exactly the same as I remembered; the buildings, constructed of granite and clay and in various shapes and sizes, dirt roads paved by human footprints leading into and away from a carved out town square with a bad pavement job, old kiosks and stands that were once stacked with goods for everyone to gawk at and barter for, the square I now stood in – make that the entire sector itself, was dead.

I could sense that I was the only living being within these walls. And judging by the pale, gray ground that remained untouched for the past ten years, I doubted if even the ghosts of the people who once lived here traversed their old homes. Even the permiated air, with its overpowering smell, felt stagnat and muggy.

Home sweet home.

Each step I took echoed as memories forced their way to the surface. Over there, where a piece of crude metal stuck out like a jagged devil's tail, was once a swing that some adults made for the kids. Not too far from that was the rusted shell of a food stand that I once worked at for a day in order to learn about 'the value of a dollar'.

I inhaled deeply, tasting that rotten egg, decomposing organic matter with hint of ginger, in the back of my throat and looked up at the -

Black sky? It wasn't night; I checked my watch. It was only four thirty pm. I exhaled when I realized it. "Sector X07 isn't surrounded by an Anti-Aragami Walll..." I pictured looking down at Sector X07 from the sky. "It's enclosed within an Anti-Aragami _dome._"

That would explain why the air was so stagnant; The air I was currently breathing could have been ten years old! Granted, X07 had an anti-Aragami wall when I was a child, but it was never in a dome – unless it was sealed off not too long after my...departure...

Everything in here would have remained largely untouched for the last ten years...

I bolted across the town square. It was amazing that after a little more than ten years of being in this area, and after everything I had been through, I still knew the quickest path to my home. With my God Arc on my shoulder, I turned into an alley way behind what was once a small and understocked pastry shop. I leaped over a flight of stairs, noticing the small dust cloud I made on the landing. I continued forward, placing a hand on a short and heat-warped fence and vaulting over it.

Suddenly, a memory came back to me...

"_Keep up!"_

"_I'm trying!"_

"_You're too slow!"_

"_I'm only five!"_

"_ha ha ha!"_

"_Waaaait!"_

I used to take this path all the time. And after a while, me and the child from my earlier memory would tkae this path. We would race and I would always be in the lead...

I shook my head; answers first, nostalgia later.

I ran on for a few more minutes, reaching the edge of the wall in what I remembered as an all-time record. Slowly, the number of homes dropped. The area became more and more open until there was only a stretch of road. I stopped at the bwginning of the road to catch my breath. Even from this distance, I could make out the roof of a home in th edistance.

My old home.

Breeathing no longer held priority. I needed to know. I took off again, not bothering to contain myself. I knew that before I became a God Eater, I could run 100 meters, about three hundred twenty eight, in almost ten seconds – which was close to the record of the world's fastest man during the pre-Aragami era. Now, according to Dr. Sakaki's tests, that was my base running speed. I never did check just how fast I could move. I followed the road, knowing it would lead to a cul de sac that held only my home.

And stopped once it came into view.

I felt my heart catch up to me in my chest. I don't know if it was a near fatal heart attack, brought on by the dead air and horrible smell...or if I was grieving on the inside, but I doubledc over and threw up. I wiped my mouth clean and began to walk forward.

My former home, what was once a meager two story complex with uncorodinated and hand-me-down furniture, was now just a roof held up by bare support beams. The walls, windows, doors -everything else-was gone. I walked through the broken and dismantled wood, my clothing getting covered in dirt and dust and ripped up along with my skin on jagged edges. With every step I took, I recalled the rooms of my old home.

This was the living room I would sit in with my father as we read old newspapers.

This was the kitchen that my mother and I would prepare dinner in.

This was the empty stretch of hallway that was blow my room.

I stabbed my God Arc into the ground; solid rock wazs nothing to it. I crouched low and placed my hand into the broken, burned and splintered wood. Nothing was left, alright...

I felt something that wasn't jagged brush against my hand. I pushed the wood away in order to see what it was. I took in a sharp breath as my mouth dropped open.

There, amidst the shambles of my old home, was a perfectly clean doll made of cloth. The doll was modeled after a small girl with long, string like hair and a knee length dress. Its hair and dress was grayed with age, but I knew that the hair and eyes were once a platinum blue hue.

However, it wasn't the doll that made my mouth drop.

The doll was staring up at me, its eyes faded and worn. Its arms and legs dangled just off of the ground; through its lanky body was a combat knife, its blade silver in color. The handle was modled after a Medeival sword hilt and had a red gem encrusted in the butt of the hilt. I wrapped my hand around the hilt and pulled the knife out of the ground. Carefully, I pulled the cloth of the doll's body over the hilt and pushed the blade through so that it no longer impaled the doll. I rolled the knife around in my palm, remembering its weight and origin.

The mad I once called Leader used this knife...

I looked at the knife in my right hand, and then the doll in my left. I stood up, my eyes still trained on the two inatimate objects. I took the knife, placing its tip onto the doll's chest, and pushed the knife through the gaping hole. I gripped the doll tight so that the knife would not fall. Everyone had thought that this place was void of all life. Everyone believed that X07 no longer held anymore value or ties to anything human. And everyone was right to believe that X07's humanity was long gone.

But everyone was wrong about this so called 'forbidden' sector...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

I scavanged the hell out of Sector X07. I found materials that people would pay high prices for, scraps of clothing and other paraphenelia that would be considered treasure in this day and age – I even found a few food items that, judging by the expiry date, was still edible.

But the only thing I left Forbidden Sector X07 with was a sickening feeling and what I had found in the shambles of my own home. I got the inate feeling that taking those things out of this secotr would be...inappropriate. I didn't have anything to carry all of that stuff with me, anyway. I checked the time on my watch. "Ten fourty." I looked up at the only entrance and exit for this sector. I pulled out the keycard I had recieved earlier and swiped it. I slipped out of the crack the second it was wide enough.

I immediately saw a Fenrir car awaiting me. I swiped the card on the outside panel before turning my attention to the Fenrir agent approaching me. I was inhaling deeply; I needed the fresh air.

"Private X07, I presume?" She addressed me. I noticed her face scrunch up, no doubt from the smell.

"You're here to give me a ride back tot he Den, aren't you?"

"That's correct, Private." She spoke, her voice hardly surprised.

"I guess," I walked past her, aiming for the backseat. "Schicksal didn't want me out too late..."

_**PAGE BREAK**_

I reported to Hibari that I had returned. She bowed to me, then gave me a questioning look. I sniffed my air; the stink was still coming from me. I shook my head at her and scribbled a note on a post-it on her desk. I switched the doll to my left hand, and held it so that Hibari could not see it. I didn't want to be disturbed. I was also turning off my communicator. She read it and nodded. I took it from her, without snatching, and ripped it up, putting the doll and knife in my pocket. I threw the scraps into the wastebasket behind her desk. I made my way to the elevator and pressed the call button. After about three minutes of waiting for the elevator stuck at the rookie section floor beneath my own, I decided to take the stairs.

Once I was in my room, I removed my clothes and threw them to the side. I wasn't even going to bother cleaning them. I used some peroxide I had purchased and stored under my sink to clean my nearly healed wounds, and laid down on my bed. Not too long after lying down, right as I was about to drift off to sleep, I heard footsteps at my door.

"Hey X," It was Kota. "If you're still up, you can come over to my room. I heard that you were gone all day, and while I don't know what happened...uh...I'm here if you need me." I heard his door close shortly afterward.

I got up after a few moments of mulling it over, and went to Kota's room. I opened the door; Kota was sitting on his bed, looking at some Bugarally discs and looked up at me.

"Kota..." I began. "Shut up and let me sleep."

"..." He was silent as I turned around to walk away.

"Thanks." His door closed now that I was out of the sensor's range. "But no thanks."

I entered my room, and fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow...

_**PAGE BREAK**_

"I was finally able to get in touch with you!" The man who was either in his mid or late forties placed a finger on his temple. Using his finger nail, he scratched at his hair line until a bit of skin came up like a flap. He gripped it in his index finger and thumg, and pulled. He kept on pulling until the balding horseshoe-pattern hair on his head came off, along with the rest of the synthetic skin. He pulled the hair cap wig off of his head, and shook out his short, black hair. He widened his eyes and took out his contact lenses, revealing blue eyes the were beady and souless. "I've got great news."

He spoke into a terminal that resembled those in the Den, but lacked a screen. "Do you really now?" A low, charasmatic voice asked the man who was removing the rest of his disguise.

"Yup. And it's about your favorite topic." The man laughed.

"Out with it, Feit," the voice was charasmatic still, but obviously annoyed. "I don't have all night."

"You're no fun, you know that?" the man called Feit sighed.

"I don't have time to be fun. You know that." The Voice replied.

"Then I'll just have fun, myself." Feit laughed. "What's your favorite topic?"

The Voice sighed; it knew that it had lost Feit. "I have three favorite topics..."

"C'mon," Feit begged with a grin on his face. "Guess."

"Give me a hint." The Voice was tired.

"Okay then...ah, this'll give it away too easily..."

"Out with it, Feit!" The Voice demanded.

"Fine, fine..." Feit mumbled to himself. "Not gold but..."

"What?" The Voice groaned. "What kind of a hint was that?"

"C'mooooon," Feit whined. "Think. Not gold but...?"

"I don't know...silver?" The Voice spoke, giving up.

Feit only smiled at the communicater as he sat down on the floor to take off his shoes. There was a moment of silence.

"Silver?!" The Voice was amazed. "He's alive?"

"Alive and as full of cheer as he's always been!" Feit giggled hysterically.

"Silver is..." The Voice became deadpan serious. "You'd better be sure or I'll have your ass-"

"I saw him with my own two eyes! I even punched him! It's our old pal Silver, alright."

"_You_ punched _him?_" The Voice was skeptic.

Feit's smile wavered. "Well, he caught it, but that doesn't count!"

"So it really is Silver, huh?" The Voice laughed. "I'll be damned."

"So..." Feit's voice was flat now. "You want me to kill him?"

"Damn it Feit!" The Voice yelled. "Will you let me think?"

"What's there to think about?" Feit asked, shrugging. "You know what we do to God Eaters..."

The Voice's end of the communicator thumped. "What?"

"Silver's a God Eater now." Feit spoke in bordem. "Didn't I mention that?"

"No!" The Voice scolded.

"Huh...thought I did. Hey, Leader..." Feit yawned.

"What is it?" The Voice was deep in thought.

"Silver's a God Eater now."

Silence.

"Leader?" Feit looked up from removing his socks.

"I'd kill you if you didn't have information I wanted." 'Leader' snarked.

"I love you too, boss." Feit laughed. "So, what do we do?"

"...we leave him alone."

"Really? I thought you wanted Silver so that-"

"For now." Leader finished.

:"h." Feit was confused. "Oh! I get it. Let the fruit ripen before you harvest it, right?"

"Exactly. You just keep tabs on him for now."

"Yes sir!"

"Feit, I'll say it again." Leader repeated. "You JUST keep tabs on him."

"I got it. Put a toe tag on him."

"Feit, I need him alive."

"Got it. You need him alive."

"Alive, alive, Feit, not 'alive' as in he's still warm."

"Oh." Feit squeaked. "You're no fun." He played with his big toe.

"Feit..." The Leader threatened.

"I know, I know. I'll just watch him for now and report back to you."

"Good. By the way, where did you see him?"

"Little Red Riding Hood," Feit referred to himself. "Bumped into the big bad wolf on its way home."

Leader was silent.

"I saw him outside sector X0-"

"I understood your wordplay, Feit."

"Did you really?" Feit verbally poked.

"Yes. You, Little Red, were just delivering your goodies when Silver, a Fenrir employee and thus, a big bad wolf, crossed your path."

"Oh, you did get it." Feit 'blah-ed'.

"Don't make me sound so stupid."

"Okay, boss. I'll leave it to you, then!"

"..."

"I'm pushing it, aren't I?" Feit asked.

"I'd nod if you could see me, Feit."

"Well then, I'll just end this call by saying that everything was delievered without a hitch!"

"That's great." Leader chuckled. "And the response?"

"A new species is in the making."

"Perfect. Carry on, Feit."

"Over and out, boss!"

With a spurt of static, Feit ended th ecommunication. He placed his feet together, now dressed in just his undergarments, and began to roll aroun don his backside.

"Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still alive! Silver's still..."

_And that is the end of chapter nine! Man,it seems like with every bit of X's past revealed, more questions just keep on popping up! Just as we were starting to make headway with X, we've got to veer away from him and reveal a new OC in chapter 10! Who will it be, you might ask? Even I don't know yet! Go ahead an leave a review people, let me know what you think about this chapter – not just its content, but also how I linked chapters 8 and 9 together. Any other questions, comments and suggestioms are also appreciated!_

_And now, to wrap it up with the new phrase suggested to me by Witch of Tragedies._

_Stay toasty, everyone!_

_Xen Kenshin_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Don't Run Away**_

_And here we are. Chapter ten. Hmm...not much to say before the official forward. Aside from the story returning to third person narrative point of view, I can't think of any other pressing issues. Uhm, Cookies? None, since no one found any more quotes and there have been...like four already – three, since one's already been discovered. Oh, and I DID tell you guys to not get used to the rapid update speed, so I don't wanna hear anything about this chapter 'taking too long'!_

_Kidding, kidding._

_Foreword ago-go!_

_We're going to be introducing two characters in this chapter! One is another canon character, and the other is an OC! _

Chapter 10 – Kiria Jean

X woke up on high alert; his eyes were open as he sat up and there was not a single ounce of sleepiness in his body. He sprang up and got a fresh Sniper Suit, grabbed his towel and headed towards his front door...

"Private X07." Tsubaki's voice was all the warning he would get before the door to his room slid open. "Oh, I see you're awake."

"How did you open my room door?" He asked the adviser, and source of his alertness.

"I know the codes to every door in the Den." Tsubaki eyed X's dirty Sniper Suit in the corner, then the suit over his shoulder. "Is it laundry day already?"

"I changed the code on my door." X narrowed his eyes at her. "There's a master code, isn't there?"

"Yes. And hacking into your room's database, even if it IS your room, is frowned upon." Tsubaki narrowed her eyes back at X.

"And prying into your pupil's room when he's half-naked isn't?" X asked, aware that he had gone to sleep shirtless.

Tsubaki's lips formed a devious half-smirk. X felt a chill go down his spine. "Maybe if you were ten years older, Private." X wasn't sure if that was her idea of a joke, or if she was saying that just to spite him. "Be sure to be at the entrance at eleven hundred hours, Private. And please, don't fall asleep in the showers this time."

She turned away from X and walked through the doorway. "And the next time you want to embark on a personal journey," Tsubaki turned to face X as she stood in the hallway. "Don't lie to your comrades about your location. Did you think that their conflicting reports wouldn't come back to you, X?"

"I really didn't give a damn, Tsubaki." X shrugged, then quickly added "Ma'am."

She sighed and shook her head. "I'll be sure to let your Leader know about your actions, Private. Carry on." X watched her as she walked off. He also noticed her walk was even more...entrancing than Sakuya's.

'(Did every older woman here take modeling classes before the Aragami struck?)' He shook his head; '(I have enough on my plate to worry about already...)' X's mind drifted to the knife he had found yesterday. X turned on his communicator, and waited for it to boot up before he did anything else.

"June fourth, nine am..." He sighed. "I've been waking up later and later ever since I became a God Eater. Maybe this is just me still adjusting to this place?" X shrugged it off, and performed his morning rituals. By ten forty, he was just finishing his breakfast in the cafeteria.

"Yo, Rookie."

"Lindow..." X grumbled to himself.

Lindow approached X from behind, giving him a pat on the shoulder and sitting across from him. "How's it going?"

X picked up his glass of orange juice and gave Lindow a shrug. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

Lindow gave X a blank look before laughing. "Of course you are. And you have me to thank for that."

X put his cup down and raised an eyebrow, his eyes locked on Lindow from behind his dark lenses.

"Si-Tsubaki," Lindow corrected himself. "Wanted me to punish you because of your little stunt yesterday."

"I did my job," I replied curtly. "I don't see what's wrong exploring more of the area for threats."

Lindow watched X intently. X did the same to Lindow. Anyone walking by could feel the tension...

"Well," Lindow began, taking the muffin from X's tray that he didn't eat. "Next time you decide to do recon on your own, just ask for your superior's permission first, alright?" Lindow bit into the muffin. "Or, at least, don't lie to them. Especially Tatsumi. He's a good guy, and a great God Eater."

"I didn't lie to Tatsumi." X watched as Lindow ate his muffin. "He came up with that idea all on his own." X glared at Lindow. "I was saving that, you know."

"I know." Lindow popped the last bit of muffin in his mouth. "This is your punishment." Lindow cleared his throat. "Although, I'm the one suffering. These things are dry..."

Lindow reached for X's glass of orange juice, but X pulled it back.

"Just making sure you stay on your toes, Rookie." Lindow laughed, standing up. "'specially since I'm leaving the two new recruits in your charge."

"What?!" X shot out of his seat. Some of the other God Eaters looked over at the two.

"If you had been around yesterday, you would've heard all about it." Lindow gave X a smirk. "But, let's not press that issue." Lindow looked around, and waved a few of the onlookers off. They looked away, but both X and Lindow knew that they were still drawing attention. The two of them sat down, and Lindow continued.

"Two New-Types." Lindow checked his communicator. "And they should be at the entrance in five minutes."

X checked his watch. "That's why Tsubaki wanted me there by eleven." X stood up, and rushed his tray onto the conveyor belt towards the kitchen. He doubled back to Lindow, pausing at the table for a second. Lindow had stood up, but was still eyeing his communicator.

"Shall we go?" X asked, catching Lindow off guard.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, lead the way." Lindow stowed away his communicator.

_**PAGE BREAK**_

Everyone was assembled at the entrance. From left to right, stood Soma -who was intentionally behind everyone else, standing around as though he was not interested in the whole event – then Kinaia, who was subduing her excitement to meet two more New-Types. Sakuya, who \was just as excited as everyone else but focused her attention on Lindow, stood beside KInaia. The First Unit Leader was keeping conversation with Sakuya while aware of the person behind him trying to listen in. That person was Kota, who lacked subtly much to his comrade's chagrin. Private XO7 finished off the line of the First Unit, staring directly ahead at the elevator.

Behind the First Unit were the other two Units that formed the Defense Squad and several other God Eaters, as well as Hibari, Gen, a veteran God Eater, and Licca.

"Man," Kota began, giving up on Lindow and Sakuya's conversation. "It looks like we really rolled out the welcome wagon today, huh X?"

"Yeah..." X spoke, not paying Kota any mind.

"Huh?" Kota noticed that X was in his own world. "You hear me, X?"

"Mhm..." X mumbled, placing a hand under his chin.

Kota smiled deviously. He nudged Lindow, and quickly whispered the situation to the Leader. The two shared a snicker as Sakuya rolled her eyes. What Kota did not know, however, was that X was listening in on a conversation between Licca and another God Eater.

"...I heard that the Director brought her over from the Russia Branch himself."

"So, Rookie, wanna go on a mission after this?" Lindow asked, his voice light.

"I don't see why not..." X's voice was distant as he tried to process what he had learned.

"Mind if I tag along?" Kota joined in, still smiling.

"'kay..." X closed his eyes – athough Kota and Lindow couldn't see it.

"Rookie," Lindow's voice was a bit more commanding. "Remember, I get your beer rations!"

"Sure." X nodded his head, deep in thought.

"And I get your energy bars!" Kota chimed in.

X remained silent. Something was coming to him as he speculated in his mind.

"I think you broke him." Lindow whispered to Kota ominously.

"Uh oh..." Kota gulped. "That can't be good..."

"Really?" Lindow and Kota parted; Kinaia made her way past the two God Eaters and patted X's shoulder. "You two are so immature!"

"Wha – but-" Kota stammered.

"That's no way to talk to your superior..." Lindow muttered. "Honestly, what's with these newbies not respecting the chain of command?"

"That chain of command," Sakuya spoke up, making Lindow jump. "Seems to be rather picky. Don't you think so, Lindow?" Sakuya addressed the 'convenient' moments Lindow used his authority.

"Oh, you have no idea..." Lindow spoke ominously.

"But...KInaia..." Kota tried again. "It wasn't my ide-"

"Save it." She cut him off. "X, everything alright?"

X only nodded.

"You sure?" Kinaia stepped closer to X, the two turning their backs on everyone else. Although they could not see him, Kota stood watching with a hanging jaw.

"Listen, X, it's not healthy to bottle things in." Kinaia began.

"But it's healthier than airing things out." X remarked, snidely. He was trying to think and there were too many voices buzzing around him.

Kinaia was taken aback. "Fine. Don't trust your comrades."

X seemed unaltered. "I won't." He brushed Kinaia's hand off of his shoulder just as the Den Gate opened up. Tsubaki stepped out of the large service elevator first, and was closely followed by two females.

"Attention!" She ordered. Everyone quickly stopped their conversations and faced Tsubaki – except Soma, who hadn't been speaking to anyone. X checked his watch; it was nearly twelve pm. He looked at Tsubaki just like everyone else did; however he made a note that she was an hour late.

"I have two introductions to make." Tsubaki began. "These are two New-Type recruits. They'll be joining your ranks today."

The first girl stepped forward. She was borderline pale and wore a plaid outfit consisting of the colors black and red. Her hat was red, resting atop her long white hair. She had blue eyes with a very righteous look in them. Her black top was open and small, just covering the essentials, and her skirt was black, much like her stockings. Holding her right hand up to her face, she introduced herself in a clear voice:

"Nice to meet you. My name is Alisa Ilinichina Amiella. As of twelve hundred hours today, I've been transferred here from the Russia Branch. I look forward to working with you."

The second girl, the one on Tsubaki's left, then stepped forward. She wore a red outfit consisting of a close fit jacket that was, oddly enough, gray around the bust area. She wore shorts that, much like Alisa's tops, covered only the...essentials. As if to balance that, she wore knee high socks and finished the out fit with calf high boots. Any God Eater worth their salt would recognize the rookie attire immediately.

"My name is Kiria Jean," her voice was surprisingly mature. Her hair was cut short, frilled about her ears, and orange. Her brown eyes scanned the room quickly as she spoke. "As of twelve hundred hours today, I've been transferred here from the American Branch."

Kiria noticed a God Eater perk up when she mentioned the branch she came from; he had short white hair and wore a blue jacket. They maintained eye contact for a while.

"Hey, girls are more than welcome here anytime!" Kota chirped.

"I'm amazed that you've survived so long here with that frivolous attitude." Alisa countered with a flick of her hair.

"Huh?" Kota was at a loss.

While he remained silent, X couldn't help but see the similarities between Kota and Alisa. Of course, he wasn't going to say anything out loud...

"Alisa doesn't have much experience in actual combat, but her scores in the simulated battle were quite stellar." Tsubaki's voice regained control. She then looked directly at Kota. "You'd better train hard, or she'll soon surpass you."

"Y-yes, ma'am." Poor Kota. Defeated when he didn't even stand a chance...

"Kiria has been a New-Type God Eater for a year now. It would seem that the American Branch beat us in that particular race." Tsubaki now singled out X. "However, she hasn't seen many battles to date. As this branch's oldest New-Type God Eater, I expect you to show Kiria the ropes. Understood, Private X07?"

X gave Tsubaki a nod, and then gave Kiria a nod. Kiria returned the nod without hesitation.

"Alisa, Kiria," Tsubaki now looked towards the recruits. "I want you both to serve under Lindow's supervision. From this point forward, you two are extensions of the First Unit."

"Yes ma'am!" The two girls spoke in unison. Behind Kota and Kinaia, X held in a chuckle; no doubt Tsubaki had given them the same speech as himself and Kota...

"Lindow, I need to hand out some documents, so come with me. The rest of you can go back to your quarters. That's all."

Tsubaki and Lindow walked towards the elevator. Kota stepped up to Alisa and began asking her about Russia's temperature.

"Excuse me." X stepped to his side. Brendan walked past the first unit and made a beeline to Kiria. "Hi. I'm Brendan Bardell, member of the Second Unit." He shook Kiria's hand. "Welcome aboard."

"Thanks." Kiria replied shortly.

"It's good to see someone else from the American Branch." Brendan began.

"You transferred, too?" Kiria asked politely.

"Yeah. I joined the Far East Branch in 2067...after..." Brendan trailed off. "Well, seeing as how you're from there-"

"I know." Kiria cut in. "But, I'm from a different sector."

"Ah." Brendan sounded a little down. "Do you have any info...or?"

"No. Sorry." Kiria's voice was deadpan.

"Don't worry about it." Brendan gave an optimistic laugh. "Well, the Second Unit's got a job to do right now. Feel free to ask me anything about the Den. Good luck."

"You too." Kiria replied as Brendan walked away from her. Brebdan walked past the First Unit, but stopped at X's side atop the stairs.

"You New-Types seem to have a lot in common already." Before X could respond, Brendan was downstairs. X looked at Brendan, and then over his shoulder at Kiria.

"What the hell was that about?" X looked over at Soma, curious as to why Soma was curious.

"That's what I want to know." X sighed; he had remembered that Lindow wanted him to look after the new recruits. And now, since Lindow was off with Tsubaki...

"X!" X looked over Soma's shoulder. Kinaia approached the two males, but spoke directly to X. "I've been meaning to tell you something since our first mission."

"Uh...okay?" X didn't like the tone of her voice.

"I've been a God Eater for going on six years. Don't think that I'll be shaken by some rookie who made Private in a month."

X, caught off guard, looked to Soma.

"Not my problem, private XO7." Soma looked away, but did not move.

X looked back to Kinaia. "What are you-" X then remembered the conversation they had on their way back to the Den after their first mission together. "Oh. That."

It was Kinaia's turn to be caught off guard. "What do you mean 'oh that'?"

X remained silent; yet another thing on his already full plate...

Kinaia looked to Soma. "What's the big deal with you guys and being all...sulky?"

Soma looked Kinaia in the face. "How many times do I have to tell you; don't lump me together with these morons!" Soma then looked to X. He could see that one of X's eyebrows were raised. "I don't need to explain myself to you!"

The three of them shared a silence.

"Whatever." They all spoke at the same time.

"I've got things to do." Soma dismissed himself.

"So do I." Kinaia walked towards the elevator.

"Hey, don't follow me!" Soma snarled.

"How can I be following you if I'm in front of you?" Kinaia shot back.

Soma, caught off guard, looked towards X.

"Not my problem, sergeant Soma." X looked away.

"Dammit." Soma muttered. "Bastard. Every last one of you." Soma walked towards the elevator. "You're taking the stairs." He ordered Kinaia.

"What?" Kinaia retorted. "Says who?"

"Says your superior." Soma now stood beside Kinaia.

"You can't do that!" Kinaia glared at him.

"Yes, I can." Soma spoke smugly. "Consider it a training exercise."

"You just want to hog the elevator to yourself!" Kinaia watched the elevator doors open.

"That isn't a crime..." Soma's voice trailed off. X watched as Soma and Kinaia bickered their way onto the elevator. He watched them continue until the doors closed.

"That was...odd." He decided to forget about that exchange for now. Besides, he was sure that he had heard Kota mention him-

"X! Hey X, over here!"

Of course Kota mentioned him... X walked over to Kota and the two new recruits.

"This is the guy I was telling you about!" Kota's voice was excited. "He and I were recruited around the same time – I'm his superior by a nanosecond – and we-"

"Didn't Adviser Tsubaki address him as Private X07?" Alisa cut in. Kota's grin dropped and he nodded. "Are you also a private?"

"W-well," Kota began, his parade thoroughly rained on. "Not exactly."

"Have you two gone for your medical checkups?" X stepped up, arguably for Kota's sake.

"No, sir." Both Alisa and Kiria replied at the same time. X lifted an eyebrow. Kota's jaw dropped.

"Wait a minute!" He nearly yelled. "I try and get to know you two," he looked to Alisa. "And one of you acts like she already can't stand me," he then looked to Kiria. "And the other hardly speaks at all!" Kota pointed to X. "But all he does is ask you a simple question, and you treat him like he's in charge?!"

"It's the way he carries himself." Alisa flicked her hair back with her right hand. "He already looks much more professional than you do."

Kiria only nodded at Alisa's statement.

"What do you mean 'looks more professional'? Is it the hair?" Kota placed a hand on his hat.

"I meant the way he walks, and how he acts." Alisa explained with a sigh. "And...his attire is much more professional."

At that comment, all three God Eaters looked at Alisa.

"Like you're one to talk..." Kota mumbled, saying what was on everyone's mind.

"What did you say?!" Alisa, who was obviously ticked off, contained herself.

"Nothing, nothing!" Kota laughed. "Well, look at the time, looks like you two should get going to the Doc!" Kota turned around to X and patted him on the shoulder. "You can show them to the medical floor, right Private X?" Kota turned on his heel and walked away. X noticed him wipe a bit of sweat from his brow.

"Honestly..." Alisa huffed, watching Kota as he walked off.

"Lead the way." Kiria spoke to X. He nodded, and directed them to the elevator...

OOOoooOOO

"What promising rookies." Lindow began jovially. "We've got to be the only branch with three of these rare New-Types."

I suppose so. But we'll be stepping up the search for new type matches from now on. HQ's new policy." Tsubaki remained objective. A moment passed, and her voice became somber. "The thing is, Alisa may be a match, but she's also somewhat mentally unstable. The doctor has her attending a medical health care program on regular basis." She then looked Lindow in the face. "At any rate, I want you to stay alert around her."

"Whatever you say, big sis." Lindow smiled at her.

"Lindow. Don't ever call me big sis here again, got that?" Tsubaki's voice was lethal.

Lindow scratched his head dejectedly. "Anything wrong with the other one? Kiria, was it?"

"Nothing aside from the typical mental trauma from watching a comrade die in front of you."

"Oh," Lindow treated the situation nonchalantly. "Just the usual brand of crazy? I can handle that."

"Lindow..." Tsubaki spoke, scolding Lindow. She then sighed. "I guess you're right."

"I am?" Lindow feigned surprise.

"A person has to be crazy in order to undertake, and survive, this line of work." Tsubaki spoke as the elevator doors opened and she stepped out. "And Lindow?"

"Yeah?" He responded, his finger over the button for the Veteran's level.

"The Director has another task for you." Tsubaki looked her younger brother in the eyes.

"'Course he does." Lindow sighed, pressing the elevator button for the Storage level.

OOOoooOOO

"Well, perhaps 'eccentric' is a bit of an understatement for Doctor Sakaki..." Alisa spoke as the three New-Types waited for the elevator.

"And he kept comparing our numbers to yours." Kirira spoke up, looking at X.

"I am the veteran New-Type." X spoke, his gaze on the elevator floor indicator.

"Still," Alisa also looked at X. "To think someone could score higher than I did in the battle simulations..."

"I'm a seasoned fighter." X replied. Instantly, he regretted speaking up.

"Oh?" Alisa asked.

X only nodded in response.

"Same here." Both X and Alisa looked to Kiria. "That must be why I also got higher scores than Alisa."

Alisa pouted, looking at Kiria. "Only a few points..." Alisa muttered.

Kiria smiled at Alisa, causing the Russian's pout to melt. The two shared a giggle as the elevator doors opened with a whoosh.

_**Beep! Beep! Beep!**_

All three God Eaters looked at their communicators. X looked up first.

"It looks like the three of us will be going on a mission to the Forgotten Carrier." X gestured to the girls to board the elevator. "I'll meet you both in Storage. I have to grab a few things before we head out."

"Yes sir." The new recruits responded just s the elevator doors closed. X hauled off, flying down the stairs and not stopping until he reached his floor of the rookie section. He flung the stairway doors open and made a beeline for his room. He stopped, and glanced at Kota's door. He knocked on it, then opened his door. He disabled the lock, so that his door would remain open.

No sooner had he stepped into his room, Kota stepped out of his.

"Hell – oh!" Kota jumped back when X stepped out of his room with a handful of energy bars. "For the last time, X, stop doing that!"

Kota then shot his hands up, and caught the energy bar X had thrown to him. "What's this for?"

"You're coming with me on a mission." X spoke with a mouth full of energy bar. "We're leaving now."

"Gotcha!" Kota disappeared into his room for a moment. Even halfway down the hall, he could hear characters from Bugarally speaking. A second later, and Kota's room was silent. By the time X was at the elevator, Kota was two steps behind him.

"Where are we headed?" Kota asked, waiting for the elevator.

"Forgotten Carrier." X ripped open another energy bar.

"What's our target?" Kota tore open the bar X had given him.

"A Borg Camlann." X was nearly finished his.

"The scorpion thing?" Kota sighed. "I hate those things..."

X remained silent.

"Hey, what happened to those two recruits?" Kota asked as he chewed.

"They're coming with us." X spoke, patting his chest.

"You should really take your time to eat those, X." Kota said with a concerned look on his face. His expression than shifted to one of shock. "We're going on a mission with those two babes?!"

Kota pumped his arms and crouched. He sprang up with a loud cheer. "Alright!"

The elevator doors opened, revealing Alisa and Kirira. Kota, with his arms in the air and an energy bar in his mouth, stared vacantly at the girls. X sighed; he nudged Kota forward and walked onto the elevator himself.

"Oh, uh..." Kota laughed nervously. He stepped onto the elevator, moving his shoulder as though he were stretching. "Just warming up before our mission."

"Our mission?" Kirira looked to X as the elevator doors closed.

"He's coming with us." X declared. "He knows more about gunner techniques than I do. And you two can learn from him." Kota puffed out his chest. "As well as his mistakes."

Kota coughed, causing Kiria and Alisa to chuckle to themselves.

"Man, those energy bars are dry..." Kota cleared his throat.

"Wait," X realized. "Why aren't you two already at Storage?"

"The elevator stopped a few floors up, on the Veteran's level. Someone with a hood and really gloomy attitude called the elevator." Alisa explained.

"Soma." Both X and Kota spoke in unison, standing side by side.

"He said he'd take the next one." Kiria went on. "He was with a girl with long blue hair and a pony tail."

"Kinaia?" Both X and Kota questioned, looking at one another.

"Green eyes?" Kota asked, turning on his heel to face Kiria.. Kirira nodded. "About this tall?" Kiria nodded again. "Really attra-" Kota felt an elbow dig into his side. "Ow! X, what was that -" Kota noticed X's brow was wrinkled.

"You talk too much." X spat as they descended in the elevator.

Kota then caught on. "Oh! Man, I owe you one!"

"I'll hold you to that, Kota." X spoke, now looking forward. Behind them, Alisa and Kiria looked at one another with confused expressions.

"Boys?" Kiria offered with a shrug. Alisa smiled at her and nodded.

_And I think I'll end the chapter here! One of the shorter chapters, I know, but I didn't want to overload the introductory chapter with the upcoming battle. Not really much to say in the ending notes, either... _

_Well, trying out the other phrase, _

_X.K. OUT!_


	11. Chapter 11

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Chapter eleven! It's been a while, hasn't it? You guys probably thought I forgot about this story, didn't you? Well, I didn't – it's just that I've been busy. Speaking of business; cookies!_

_This cookie goes out to SeraphOmega for finding the following quote from Tsubaki:_

_"He reports in an orderly manner after missions, and he hasn't failed a single one yet. He may even be of leader caliber."_

_And Seraph, since he's so awesome - and requested it - gets a glass of milk with his cookie!_

_Let's keep looking for those quotes, people! That's three down and five more to go!_

_Foreword ago-go!_

_X, being the Den's oldest (and only) New-Type has had the duty of teaching and ensuring the safety of new recruits Alissa and Kiria bestowed (or forced?) upon him. Showing either the wisdom of a leader, or the spirit of someone who refuses to go down alone, X also recruited Kota along for the mission so that the new recruits can learn the aspects of ranged combat. The group of four are headed towards the Forgotten Carrier in order to face off against a Borg Camlann. _

**Chapter Eleven – Details and Scorpion Tails**

**Mission: 'Flame Shield' at the Fallen Carrier**

**Mission Target: Borg Camlann**

X and Kota sat across from Kiria and Alissa as the helicopter flew over the ocean.

"What's our current position?" X spoke into the headset he was wearing.

"We're almost halfway there, Private X07." The pilot's voice echoed over the four headsets worn by the God Eaters.

"And our ETA?" X asked again, his eyes on his communicator.

"Ten minutes, private." The pilot's voice was professional.

"Alright, carry on." X spoke dismissively.

"Will do." The pilot's headset clicked off.

"Hey, X." Kota's pulled his headset off. X did the same but his eyes remained down on his communicator. "What're you studying up on so intently?" Kota tried to looked over X's shoulder. X closed his communicator, although he seemed unaware of Kota's eyes.

"Their files." X looked at the two girls in front of him. He turned his head to Kiria, "You've seen combat before, correct?" Kiria nodded, removing her headset. "And you've been a New-Type God Eater for a year, Medic class. That means you're familiar with shooting."

Kiria nodded. "But it's been a while since I was last in combat. My last mission from a few months back...didn't go too well." Her eyes looked down for a moment.

"What happened?" Kota asked. Kiria looked up at him, but before she could answer, X spoke up.

"And you, Alissa." Alissa, who had already taken off her headset, looked away from Kiria and at X. "You're the only one of us here that hasn't seen combat. You nervous?"

Alissa looked between her fellow God Eaters before speaking. "O-of course not!" She brushed back her hair with her right hand. "All I have to do is remember my training and everything should go well."

X looked to Kiria and Kota. "Put your sets back on." Kota blinked at X, but Kiria caught on and did as told. X now focused on Kota. Kota looked to Kiria who gestured to him to put on his headset. Kota complied, but his eyes stayed on X. X leaned forward to Alissa who was directly in front on him and motioned for her to come closer. Alissa hesitated but followed.

"Sorry for asking you that in front of the others. I didn't mean to single you out."

Alissa looked taken aback. The look of surprise vanished and was swiftly replaced with a smile. "It's not like it made a difference." X noticed the confidence in her voice. "My comment still stands."

X looked over his shoulder at Kota, and then looked at Kiria who had her eyes trained on the window. "A few months ago, on my first mission, I couldn't wait to hurry up and take out my target." Alissa's smile waned as she listened closely. "I was so confident in my own abilities that I ran off without listening to my leader, Lindow, who's now our leader.. The mission was flawless, but I was reprimanded in the end."

Alissa stayed quiet for a few seconds. When she responded, she sounded bored. "What's the moral of your story?"

X groaned internally; he could already feel that she would be a difficult case, and here he was actually trying to be nice. X made a reminder to speak with Lindow when they got back from this mission. "Do as you're told," X nearly snapped back. "But don't lose yourself among the chaos. One wrong mistake, one miscalculation, one stroke of bad luck and that's it." X paused to see if his message was getting through to Alissa. It didn't seem like it was.

"When I say 'that's it', I hope you understand that I mean you die." X, even with his voice grim, felt as though he were talking to a wall. "What you've learned in simulations are a crutch; you can only get combat experience from actual combat."

X noticed the look in Alissa's eye change. He had made his point, but from a professional point of view, he thought he may have had come on too strong. Against his character, X summed up his argument with: "It's normal to feel a little nervous, even if it isn't your first time on a mission. Even the higher-ups get a bit anxious." He picked up his headset and pointed to it, signalling for Alissa to put hers on as well. After the two put them on, X finished:

"But the important thing is that you don't waste all of your shots in under ten seconds like Kota here."

Kota, who had dozed off, shot up in his seat. "Hey!" He leaned towards X, pushing him against the helicopter wall and his Tail Sword: Silver. "Was all that about making me look bad?!"

X pushed Kota back, pinning the boy to the wall with ease, and spoke in his usual monotone. "It was about making _me _look _good._"

Kota pushed X back to his side of the helicopter. "A-ha! So you finally admit it!"

X pushed Kota back, this time with one arm. "It's not that hard to do."

"Honestly!" Alissa butted in, making the two boys stop pushing each other. "Is this how God Eaters should behave?"

Kota, who had X's hand in his face spoke up. "Jeez, don't be such a party pooper."

Alissa was shocked. "Party pooper?!" She glared at Kota and then looked to X. "Did he just call me a party pooper?"

X, who had Kota's foot in his side, nodded. "Personally, I would have said wet blanket."

Alissa's jaw dropped. "Don't be so casual about it!" Alissa then looked to Kiria. "Can you believe those two?" Kiria continued to look out of the window, but a smile formed on her lips." Alissa saw her reflection and gasped. "Don't take their side in this!"

"We're here, God Eaters." The pilot's voice crackled over the headsets.

X was the first to grab his God Arc. "Everyone ready?" Kota hefted his gun into his lap. Kiria gripped the hilt of her Short Sword and nodded. Alissa grabbed her God Arc as well. "Good." X pulled back the door of the helicopter and looked out at their destination.

The helicopter banked over the drop-off point and hovered a few feet away.

"Radio in when you need extraction." The pilot looked over their seat at X. X was guiding the rookies out of the helicopter, but gave a thumbs up in response. X jumped out of the helicopter and waved to the pilot. He got a wave in return from beyond the glass of the cockpit, and the pilot took off into the horizon.

"Stick together. Kota, you lead." Kota looked over at X with a questioning look. "I'll be explaining a few last-minute things to the rookies and I need your eyes and ears alert." Kota nodded and jumped down from the ledge.

"Alright," X turned to the girls. "You know your orders, right?"

"To eliminate the Borg Camlann in the area," Kiria spoke first.

"And to gather any materials that we can use to further the Aegis Project." Alissa sounded off.

X sighed; he really didn't want to have to say them...

"Those are your objectives, but there are three orders that you must always follow." X cleared his throat. "At least, according to Corporal Lindow Amamiya..."

The rookies looked at one another, remembering that while they were on a mission with Private X07, it was Corporal Amamiya who lead their unit.

"1) Don't die.

If you're number's up, get out.

Lastly; hide."

X felt his shoulders tense up as he intentionally ignored the infamous fourth order.

"Those orders sound very cowardly." Alissa spoke with no hesitation.

"Those orders will keep you alive when you're in a tight spot." X shot back, his tone serious. "Are they understood?"

"Yes sir!" Both rookies shouted in unison.

"Good, then let's go regroup with Kota." X turned around towards the ledge, preparing to leave the drop off point with the rookies when he heard a small explosion. The explosion was followed by the sound of something shooting into the air. X looked into the sky, and saw a trail of red smoke leading to a shell that burst into white sparks.

"A convergence flare! Already?" X began to run forward. "That's Kota! He's made contact with the enemy. We need to get there now; fall in on Kota!" X jumped down from the ledge and landed running. He heard two more thumps behind him as Alissa and Kiria followed behind him. As X neared the first broken section of the bridge, he noticed that Alisa and Kiria's footsteps were no longer as loud. As X jumped over the hump of the bridge, he looked over his shoulder; the two rookies weren't able too keep up with him.

Kiria noticed him looking back, and with one hand on her God Arc, she extended her free had forward twice. That was the signal to keep moving, and X did just that.

The sound of the Borg's screeches were finally audible. Looking ahead, and saw the large scorpion near the wreckage of the fallen carrier. X noticed a large hole in the side of the carrier and assumed that was where the Borg came from. He looked around for Kota but could not see him.

"X!"

Kota's voice came from beneath the God Eater. X looked down and found Kota pushing a bit of rubble off of himself. "You alright?" X asked, hearing footsteps slow down behind him.

Kota brushed himself off as he stood. He let out a laugh. "Yeah, the darn thing caught me off guard but I used a stun grenade. I sent up the flare while it was dazed and was hiding behind the rubble before the flare even went off!"

"So you were hiding behind the rubble?" Kota looked over his shoulder at Alissa and Kiria who now stood beside X. "How brave." Alissa snarled at Kota.

"Hey, I can't take that thing alone!" Kota shot back as he hefted his God Arc. "They sent the three of you after it, but I'm the first one to get noticed by it? I would've dead by the time you got here!"

"Kota's right." X voiced out. "He responded admirably in a surprising and disadvantageous situation and awaited back-up. He not only recognized that he he had to hide, but he did so brilliantly. That's a casualty avoided, and as God Eaters, survival is always first."

Kota looked at X as he dropped down from the bridge. "Good job Kota." X gave Kota a pat on the shoulder. "Learn from his example, rookies." X shifted his God Arc to its gun form. Alissa looked at X's back and then at Kota. Kota stuck his tongue out at her before rushing to X's side.

"That...ugh!" Alissa gritted her teeth.

"Lighten up." Kiria pushed Alissa forward, prompting her to regroup.

"We're shooting it?" Kota asked, standing by X's side. Alissa and Kiria also shifted their God Arcs to gun form and the four formed a line.

"Yeah." X responded signaling for them to move up. We'll inflict as much damage to it as possible while taking as little damage as we can." The four God Eaters now stood on the opposite side of the large, circular hole in the bridge. "We'll open fire here. It shouldn't be able to make the jump, so as it walks around, Alissa and I will then go in for close combat, keeping is attention towards the rear while Kiria attack its front legs."

The Borg Camlann prowled the area, well aware that whatever it was that had blinded it was still around. It scratched at the ground with it tail every other step and let out small growls of what may have been anger. X took aim at the Borg, three other barrels also aligned with his own. "Wait for it..."

The Borg walked to the edge of the broken bridge where the side had been built upon vertically to prevent vehicles from driving over the edge. It stopped just short of the large hole and scratched at the ground with its tail for a second. "Wait for it..." X kept the team steady. The Borg then turned around to continue its prowl – only it then found its prey directly across form it. Where there had been only one nusaince before that flash, there were now four. It clanged together its shield halves and let out a loud screech.

"Blast it!" X commanded, taking the first shot. More rounds followed his as all four God Eaters fired indiscriminately at the Aragami. It reeled back from the sudden attack, letting out a screech in agitation. Not even a full minute had passed since they opened fire.

"I'm almost empty!" Kiria shouted over the sound of gunfire.

"Me too!" Alissa informed.

"Reloading!" Kota spoke, popping a green O-Ampule into his mouth."

"Hold fire!" X ordered. The firing stopped, and he watched as the Borg placed a claw to its head. "It's dazed..." he took only a millisecond to think. "We stick to the plan and wait for it to come to us. Use your O-Amples everyone, and get ready to hit a moving target."

Alissa and Kiria were already swallowing their O-Amples before X finished giving the order. He followed suit as he watched the Borg take a few steps backwards.

"What's it doing now?" Kiria asked. "I'm not familiar with this Aragami's behavior."

"It looks like it's...getting ready to jump." Alissa observed.

"That's ridiculous," Kota aimed his barrel at the Aragami. "A normal Borg can't clear this gap."

X remained silent. Kota was right; a normal Borg Camlann couldn't make the jump, but a normal Borg would have pressed forward if it were looking for prey, not scour the last area its prey had been in.

"What do we do?" Kiria asked X.

"We stick to the plan," Kota spoke up. "Once it comes in range again, we blast it. If we're lucky, it'll stay over there and make our lives easier."

"Our God Arcs don't have the self-repair capability like yours does." Alissa cut in. "We'd have to engage in close combat regardless of the plan.

"Oh yeah." Kota shrugged. "Then I can just cover you guys from here."

"Once a coward, always a coward, I see..." Alissa uttered.

Kiria watched X as he watched the Borg. "Sir, is something wrong?"

X recalled what Dr. Sakaki had said about Aragami Orale Cells. They were like minded, clustered together to form the shape of whatever the devoured, and were constantly evolving. The Borg let out a howl and charged forward.

"It's going for the jump..." X's eyes widened behind his sunglasses. He whipped his head around and shouted "Scatter!" Kiria and the bickering Alissa and Kota looked at X with shocked expressions.

"I said scatter!" X repeated, waving his God Arc this time for extra emphasis. Kota looked from X then to the circular gap. He let out a yell and ran right. Kiria let out a huff and ran left. Alissa gasped and rolled backwards.

Everything got darker. X looked down; he was wearing sunglasses, but it was still a bright day. There was a large circular shadow beneath him that was not his own. It finally dawned on X, and he turned back to the Borg Camlann.

Only to find its face yards away from his own.

"X!" He heard Kota call out. X gripped his God Arc tightly and stepped back as he shifted it to Blade Form.

'(I'm not far enough!)' His instincts guided him as he deployed his shield. It was a nanosecond too late; the very tip of the Borg's stinger bypassed his horizontally closing shield and scrapped against his arm and nearly pierced his chest. His only saving grace was the Borg's large body knocking into his substantially smaller frame and sending him flying backwards. Alissa looked up as X sailed clear over her.

"Private X!" Alissa called out.

"Alissa!" Kiria's voice brought her back to reality. Alissa turned back to the Borg – it's long whip-like tail was coming at her much too quickly. She felt its swiping tail hit her right flank and sent her careening towards Kiria. The orange haired God Eater ran forward to aid Alisa, but a sudden explosion stopped her in her tracks.

The Borg Camlann's tail was aimed directly at her. From the Borg's quill coat, prickles flew at Kiria as though they were homing missiles. Kiria jumped backwards to try and avoid them, but the explosions at her feet knocked her off-balance.

Kota kept firing at its left flank, but the Borg didn't seem interested in him. "I'm the one you want, damn it!" Kota began stepping forward as he fired his shots. He watched as Alissa was swept aside with ease and Kiria wasn't too far behind. Kota pulled the trigger with a roar, but met a dull clanking sound. "I'm out of bullets?!" He looked down at his God Arc and tried firing again. His entire body recoiled as usual, but nothing fired. He looked up at the Borg that was now slowly turning towards him-

There was a sudden burst of white light. The Borg let out a screech as it was blinded once again. Kota covered his face for a second, recognizing the flash of a stun grenade instantly.

"Kota, check on Alissa!" X jumped down from the bridge ledge and was running towards the Borg. "Kiria, on me!" Kiria, who was still a bit stunned began to make her way towards X. Kota passed by her, and she heard him utter a swear.

"Kiria, focus on its front legs like we planned! I want that bastards tail!" X weaved through the Borg's legs that were taller than he was. He skidded to a stop and swung his Tail Sword: Silver at its hinds legs. With a loud _**ting! **_X felt his God Arc bounce off of the Aragami's exterior.

'(My weapon isn't strong enough?!)' X primed his Long Blade at the Borg's legs and readied his God Arc for an Impulse Edge. He fired, and all too late did he see Kiria angling herself for an attack. The sudden burst of Oracle Cells did no damage to Kiria, but it did send her skidding backwards and far away from the Borg.

X opened his mouth to say something – he let out a yell in pain as the Borg's whip-like tail struck his left side and catapulted him off of the ground. He felt his body flip helplessly through the air a few times before he was able to regain his bearings.

"X!" Kota yelled out to him. X could see the Borg now focusing on Kiria who weaved and stepped as best she could away from its striking tail. One strike grazed her side and ripped the arm of her shirt. Not too far behind her, X could see Kota holding an unconscious Alissa's head upright with one arm while Kota's other arm was extended towards X. X shook his head once and looked down.

There was blue-green ocean beneath him.

As time seemed to move in slow motion, X realized that he had been knocked over the side of the bridge. X shifted his God Arc into his left hand and extended his right arm towards the bridge. He could see Kota trying to pick up Alissa as the Borg Camlann pointed its tail towards them. Kiria was jumping into the air, trying to attack the stinger and re-direct its fire.

The last thing X saw was the edge of the bridge just out of his finger's grasp...

"Kota!" Kiria landed and turned towards the gunner. She gave up on trying to re-direct the Aragami's aim, but at the very least she could intercept its fire. Kiria rushed to get in front of her comrades but a screech from the Borg told her she was too late. It fired off more prickles from its coat in a straight line at Kota and Alissa. Kota stood, hefting Alissa by the arms, and mustered all of his strength. He threw the Russian God Eater, God Arc and all, into Kiria's arms seconds before the prickles bombarded his body.

"Aaagh!" He yelled, falling backwards. While he was in intense pain, Kota couldn't feel any open injuries. Counting himself lucky, he quickly went into his pocket and grabbed at an O-Ampule. To his chagrin, there was only one left. When he pulled his hand out, he found broken remains of the item amongst the only one intact. '(Its attack broke my items?!)' Kota swallowed the O-Ample and grabbed his God Arc. While still bending forward, Kota felt a shadow and a presence loom over him.

He looked up to see the Borg's needle inches away from his face.

The Borg let out a cry and fell limp on it side. Kota's entire body shivered as the feeling came back to his nerves. He looked over the Borg and saw Alissa firing away at its legs. Kiria was bringing a hand to her mouth, no doubt a Restore Pill for the damage she took from trying to go toe to toe with the Borg.

Kota lifted his gun, and strafed a circle around the Borg as he fired. While the Borg Camlann was down, it was clearly far from out as it tried to get back onto its feet.

"X went over the edge!" Kota yelled once he got close enough to the recruits.

"What?!" Alissa, whose voice was a bit groggy, shouted.

"It smacked X over the edge! I didn't see him make it!" Kota bit back the sour taste in his throat.

"We have to retreat, then!" Kiria was also firing at the Borg.

"We can't retreat!" Alissa urged. "This is our mission!"

"Remember what X said, Alissa!" Kiria stopped to take an O-Ampule. "'If your number's up, get out!'" She continued to fire at the Borg.

"No!" Kota shouted. "We can't just leave X here!"

"You said he wnet over the edge!" Kiria tried to stay logical.

"That doesn't mean hes gone!" Kota yelled, noticing that he was almost out of bullets.

"We can't just leave this thing running about!" Alissa was determined.

"Screw the Aragami, we need to recover X!" Kota roared.

"Don't let your emotions get in the way, Kota!" Kiria berated him.

"I'm the one with the most experience here, so I'm taking over as leader!" Kota's God Arc was empty, but he continued to pull the trigger and recoil anyway. "And I say we stay and find X! I don't care if we have to jump off of this bridge ourselves!"

"We can do this!" Alissa grit her teeth. "This was supposed to be a three person mission, anyway! The Borg Camlann should be nothing for us!"

Like an ill omen, the Borg Camlann finally found its footing. Its feet clawed against the bridge as it got upright. It spun around to face the three God Eaters and let out a bellowing, guttural snarl.

"I'm out!" Kota finaly admitted.

"Me too." Kiria hissed.

Alissa remained silent as she changed her weapon to blade form. She took a few steps forward and raised her God Arc, but stopped when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked back to see Kota holding her back.

"I'm ordering a retreat..." His voice was heavy. "And requesting that another unit wrap up what we started. Kiria, got any stun grenades?" Kiria retrieved one and passed it to Kota. He threw it on the ground just as the Borg neared them. It reeled back, dazed. The three pulled away from the Borg as Kota took out his communicator.

"I still say we can take it..." Alissa was cut off by Kota.

"We've lost our leader. We retreat; it's what X would do as well." Kota's voice was sullen.

Alissa huffed. She then put her hand on her forehead and let out a moan. Kiria moved Alissa's hand and checked her out.

"You hit your head pretty hard. You could have a concussion. When we get back-"

_**Beep! Beep! Beep!**_

Kota's communicator went off in his hand. He looked at the screen and gasped. He answered it, and out it on speaker. "X?!"

"How are things," X groaned. "Going up there?"

"X, you're alive!" Kota laughed. "I knew it!"

"Answer the," X let out a gasp. "Question!"

"We're a bit beaten up, but we'll live."

"Same here. How's the – crap!" There was the sound of crumbling stone.

"X!"

"I'm fine!" He sounded winded. "Just...hold out until I climb back up. I'm almost there."

"Climb back up?" Kiria was bewildered.

"We'll talk later. I need my hands." X cut the line.

"Don't be so casual about it!" Kota yelled too late.

No sooner had he hung up, the Borg let out a screech. Kota checked his God Arc; he was just over fifty percent. "You heard him, hold out until he climbs back up."

Kota was the first to stand. "Alissa, can you take X's role and attack the hind legs?"

Alissa nodded and she stood up. She looked a bit unsteady, but Kota had faith in her.

"Kiria, for someone who hasn't fought a Borg before you're doing good. Keep it up."

Kiria said nothing as she watched the Borg charge towards them.

"I'll back you both up as best I can." Something then dawned on him. "Do you two know about Aragami Bullets?"

Both of the rookies nodded.

"The we just might have a chance after all!"

_**Page Break**_

"How did this happen?" X looked down at the ocean beneath him. He was now swaying back and forth like a sheet on a laundry line. His Sniper Coat was caught on the gun part of his God Arc like it were a coat rack. The hook in his Tail Sword: Silver had hooked onto one of the metal wires of the bridge, but because it was rusted from age, water and undoubtedly damaged from the impact of the carrier hitting the bridge, the wire was slowly being pulled out from the bridge because of his weight. As if that weren't bad enough, his God Arc was also too sharp and cutting through the wire.

For the moment, X was okay. He had to check up on his team... He managed to get his communicator from his pocket and decided to call Kota. As the gunner, Kota should be far enough away from the enemy and there in, was the likely candidate to have a moment to spare. Kota answered on the first ring.

"How are things," X groaned. Along with the wire. "Going up there?"

"X, you're alive!" Kota laughed. "I knew it!"

"Answer the," X let out a gasp, feeling his shirt tug at this neck. "Question!"

"We're a bit beaten up, but we'll live."

"Same here. How's the – crap!" A bit of crumbling stone missed X by a centimeter.

"X!"

"I'm fine!" He was winded. "Just...hold out until I climb back up. I'm almost there."

"Climb back up?" Kiria was bewildered. Why was she with Kota?

"We'll talk later. I need my hands." X cut the line, noticing that his God Arc was close to doing the same. He put his communicator in his pocket and reached up to grab his God Arc. The wire snapped; X grabbed his God Arc and the shorter half of the wire. He let out a growing yell as he swung over the ocean and hit the bridge face first.

The impact nearly made X let go of the metal wire. He shook off the pain as best he could, and looked up. The edge of the bridge was in sight. X, dangling by one arm tried to think of how to get back up. He looked at the hook of his God Arc, and recalled what he and Licca discussed about Oracle Cells.

"_A God Eater has the same Oracle Cells as their God Arc..._

_The Bias Factor is shared between all God Eaters..._

_...A God Arc's Oracle Cells won't injure another God Eater..."_

"Let's hope my Oracle Cells don't injure me..." X eyed the hook of his God Arc. He gently and cautiously guided his head through the curve of his blade, and gently let the blade rest on his slowly released the God Arc, letting the weight fall on his neck in a controlled manner. He waited a few second before letting go completely.

Nothing happened.

X exhaled in relief, and began to climb up the rope...

_Page Break_

"Aragami Bullet!" Kiria yelled, firing at Kota.

"Alright!" He cheered. While it was still an uphill battle, having two New-Types to constantly pump him full of Aragami bullets and increase his God Arc's recovery rate made Kota a much more efficient gunner. The trio had managed to shatter the shield of the Borg Camlann as well as its front legs, the latter of which was thanks to Kiria's efforts.

But they were still under-prepared for such a strangely powerful foe...

"We need more firepower!" Kota yelled, watching his shots bounce off of the Aragami's enraged body.

"Where's the private?" Alissa yelled back, switching her Arc from blade mode to gun mode. She aimed at Kota and fired an Aragami Bullet. The stream of white light traveled towards the gunner – but was intercepted by a streak of black movement.

"What the?!" Both Kota and Alissa proclaimed, turning their heads after the black streak. The source flashed a brilliant color of white, followed by a purple horizontal array of light and ending with a black spire shooting upwards.

"It absorbed the Aragami Bullet?!" Alissa realized.

Kiria jumped back just as the Borg's tail struck down. It pierced through the stone the bridge was made out of and was stuck. For only a millisecond, Kiria imagined what would have happened if she hadn't...

There was the sound of something moving through the air behind Kiria. She side-stepped away from it and turned, just in time to see X bring his blade down on the Borg's needle. The needle shattered instantly, causing the Borg Camlann to reel back. X did not let up; he jumped in the air after the tail, and focused on attacking its base. He jumped a second time and slashed at it three more times before spinning forward vertically with his blade out, resembling a buzz-saw.

The scales of the Borg's armor covering the tail shattered, revealing an orange layer of skin beneath. X landed and leaped back, positioning himself directly in front of the Borg.

"Both of you!" X roared, clearly at wits end with the Borg. "Give me Aragami Bullets!" Alissa complied immediately, sending X into the second level of Link Burst Mode. Kiria engaged the devouring process of her God Arc as X slashed away at the downed Borg's face. Kiria shifted her Arc to gun mode and aimed at X. The private would strike the Aragami three times and then disperse Oracle Cells with the Impulse Edge technique. It looked like a combination attack that could go on infinitely.

"Kiria!" X's voice made her jump. Kiria pulled the trigger of her God Arc, and with that, X was in the third and final level of Link Burst. X positioned his God Arc in front of the Borg's exposed face.

"Die already!" X placed a hand on the side of his gun attachment.

Next to Alissa, Kota stepped forward. "Kiria! Get away from him now!"

Kiria wasted no time; she jumped backwards a few times, and was next to Alissa and Kota in seconds. No sooner had she moved, X began to unload Impulse Edges with little concern for anyone or anything else.

Kota, Alissa and Kiria watched as X spent the next three minutes unloading shots into the already dead Aragami...

**Page Break**

"This is Private X07 requesting pick up. Mission was a success."

X felt the somber mood of his comrades weighing down on his shoulders.

"Understood, private. Chopper's ETA is ten minutes."

"Roger that." X sighed heavily.

"Sounds like it was a pain, private." The pilot's voice was airy.

"A pain is an understatement." X's tone was final. "Let's get these recruits home."

"Yessir." The pilot picked up on X's agitation.

X clicked his communicator closed and turned to face his team.

"So, what did we learn today?" X looked between the rookies, and then at Kota. Kota looked back at X with a small shrug. X cocked his head to the side, as if to say "Play along". Kota placed a hand to his chin.

"Expect the unexpected." Kota nodded, his eyes closed and his aura pensive.

"...go on..." X remained patient, as did the recruits.

"I've fought a few Borgs since I joined, and I've fought here a few times as well, but this is the first time I've ever seen a Borg _jump_ _that far._" Kota shuddered. "It was a nightmare, and I wasn't the one who got hit by it."

X nodded. "We're still learning about Aragami, so becoming 'comfortable' with an Aragami's attitude and traits can be a lethal flaw. Always be prepared for the worst – especially since we want to _prevent _the worse. Great job as always, Kota." Kota smiled, placing his hands behind his head. His God Arc came off balance and struck his shin. A tear came to his eye, but Kota refused to let go of his psuedo-manliness. X turned his attention to Kiria, arguably for Kota's sake.

"You said this was the first time you've faced a Borg Camlamnn?" He asked Kiria.

Kiria nodded. "While I've seen one before, and done some research on them, this is – was – the first time I've ever faced a Borg Camlann."

X became silent as he looked Kiria up and down. Kiria remained mute, but X could tell that she was looking him over as well. "Any injuries aside from the arm?"

Kiria looked at her ripped sleeve. "Minor scrapes and bruises, sir. It's really the fatigue that's getting to me."

X nodded. "Well done, recruit. You're not as rusty as you said you'd be. Give yourself some more credit in the future, understood?"

Kiria seemed taken aback; she looked straight ahead, almost through X, and gave a clear "Yes sir!"

X raised an eyebrow at Kiria's behaviour but moved on to Alissa.

"New Recruit Alissa Ilinichina Amiella." Alissa had an expression on her face that X pegged as expecting the worse. "This was your very first mission... and it showed." X watched as Alissa's grip tightened on her God Arc. "I'm sure you've been told that the simulations would be nothing like real combat," Alissa's eyes snapped up to X's sunglasses, and her eyelids squinted. X smiled internally; she recognized that his current assessment was directly connected to their conversation on the arrival flight.

"And I'm also sure that you have your own personal opinions about your capabilities," X tilted his head discreetly towards Kota. "And the capabilities of your comrades." Alissa narrowed her eyes at X even more; he could hardly see the whites of her eyes. "With that being said," X walked up to Alissa and gave her a pat on the shoulder.

"You did good today." Kota let out a very legible gasp, as did Alissa. "Keep this up and you'll make Private in no time."

"Whoa, a compliment!" Kota waved his arms in an exaggerated manner. He then looked to Kiria. "He started off all mean and then bam! What a curve ball!"

Kiria remained silent and inert. "Hey, you okay?" Kota prodded.

"Hm?" Kiria blinked a few times. "Oh, yeah. I'm just sleepy."

Kota laughed. "Who wouldn't be after that fight?"

"Th-thank you, sir." Alissa replied, her voice sounding strained. X looked at her for a moment before nodding. His lips were pressed thin and his cheekbones were tight.

"By the way," X checked his watch. "The two of you can stop calling me 'sir'. Everyone else calls me X, and you're both as entitled to do the same." X looked up and saw the approaching helicopter. "Our ride is here. Let's move."

Kota picked up his God Arc and was the first to move out. Alissa intentionally hung back, like she didn't want to walk to close to him. Kiria began to walk forward, but X placed a hand on her shoulder. Kiria looked back at X; he did not let go of her shoulder until Alissa and Kota were a few feet away.

"You've been a God Eater for a year now, right?"

Kiria nodded. X noticed that making eye contact wasn't her top priority.

"Judging by how you responded to my assessment, you didn't receive positive feedback while undergoing training."

X raised an eyebrow at how fast Kiria looked at his sunglasses. "Was it that obvious?" X noticed the tone of her voice change. Her monotone was gone.

"Yeah, it was." X's tone changed as well.

"Hmph..." Kiria looked over her shoulder to see how far off the others were. "At the American Branch, they taught God Eaters kill or be killed early on. Actually, it was the only thing they taught us."

X remained silent as Kiria continued. She faced him again, but her eye were on the ground.

"They beat combat tactics into our heads, sure, but unlike the Far East Branch, the American Branch wasn't too interested in you as an individual. At least, the sector I was in."

"Which is why you were so stand-offish when Brendan approached you."

Kiria looked up at X. "Not much gets past you, does it?" Kiria chuckled. "Permission to speak freely?"

"Weren't we doing so already?" X spoke with an airy tone.

Kiria smiled. "I'm a little jealous of you."

X wrinkled his brow. "Come again?"

"You've been here for a few months and everyone seems to love you. Not to mention that your combat skill is much more developed than a typical Private's."

"Why does that bother you?" X knew that she wouldn't answer his question.

"It doesn't bother me." Kiria's voice was monotone once more. "It's just...something I have to adjust to." X sensed that this conversation had reached its end.

"Well, don't be afraid to adjust with the help of your comrades." X's voice had never left its monotone, something that Kiria picked up on easily.

"Understood." Kiria nodded. She then turned away and made her way towards the drop point. X raised an eyebrow; he hadn't dismissed her...

"Recruit Kiria Jean." Kiria stopped short and turned to face X – she took a step back when she saw how quickly he had caught up with her. "Thank you."

"Wh-what?" Kiria questioned as X now walked past her.

"When we were discussing your experience against the Borg Camlann, you were checking me over for injuries. I'm expressing my gratitude to you."

"You were sent over the edge of a bridge," Kiria's monotone was stressed as she began to catch up to X. "Anyone would have been worried."

X stopped walking. He waited until Kiria was by his side. "Kota seemed perfectly fine."

Kiria remained quiet for a few footsteps. "He never lost faith in you for a moment." X turned his head to look at Kiria. "He wanted us to jump off of the bridge after you at first. Then, he said that we would stand against the Borg until you got back. It wasn't until things looked impossible that he said we should retreat."

"Standard procedure." X spoke quickly.

"He didn't want to retreat without you." Kiria's voice was surprisingly stern. "He's a good friend." X's eyebrow rose. "You should appreciate that."

Kota waved to X and Kiria as he and Alissa were boarding the helicopter. Kiria stepped into the helicopter first and turned around to offer X a hand.

"So, what I read in your file was right." X spoke to Kiria as he pulled himself into the helicopter. Kiria pulled the doors shut as X sat down. She had heard X's comment but did not show any signs of recognition as she sat across from Kota.

Kiria shot one final look at X who was looking at his God Arc. He looked up at her, causing her to turn away and look out of the window. It was a silent ride, except for Kota who was commenting on how well the managed to handle themselves against such an uncommonly strong enemy...

_**Page Break**_

"Kiria Jean?" Kiria, who was in her new room, nearly ran to the door. She opened it to find a staff member holding a large cardboard box. "Your personal effects have been delivered from your old branch. It looks like this was all there was."

Kiria took the box and replied in monotone "Thank you." before closing her door. She moved to her bed and placed the box on the floor. She opened it, and smiled at the first item she saw. Kiria removed a pair of headphones and placed the on her head. She let out a long and content sigh before she lifted the cardboard box onto her lap and sorted through her clothes and other items from her previous branch.

Half an hour later, Kiria had her clothes put away, and a picture frame at the head of her bed. Sitting back down again, Kiria removed her headphones and stared at them.

"Hey." A fragment of a small formed on her lips. "It's good to have you back..."

_**Page Break**_

"Oh hey, come on in." Lindow turned off his terminal and turned towards his door. The door swished open and X walked in. He gave Lindow a wave who returned it. "How did the mission go?"

"It was harder than anticipated, but everyone came back alive." X responded with respect in his voice.

"That's good." Lindow smiled. His eyes gained a cunning shine. "What made it so difficult? Did the recruits screw up?"

X shook his head. "Their performances were actually stellar. It was the Aragami that proved to be a pain."

"Is that so?" Lindow scratched the back of his head. "Oh right. I heard you learned how to fly...or something."

"Kota." X sighed. "Yeah, the Borg Camlann sent me over the edge of the bridge."

"Well, good to see made it back, rookie." Lindow placed his hands on his waist.

"Still a rookie?" X asked in monotone.

"You're improving." Lindow chirped cheerily.

X remained silent for a moment. "Borgs shouldn't be able to clear that gap."

"Come again, rookie?" Lindow asked, cleaning one of his ears.

"The Forgotten Carrier." X then waved his hand. "Never mind."

"I won't." Lindow's smile seemed to shrink. "But rest up; there's a good chance we need to go hunt a Vajra with Sakuya and Kota tomorrow."

"I heard that Soma was taking Kinaia and the recruits to handle that." X's voice became curious. Lindow didn't seem to pick up on it.

"Yeah well, that plan changed." Lindow shrugged. "Maybe command wants to see just how far they can push us Old-Types before we're all replaced..."

"Then why would they send me on that mission as well?" X stepped into Lindow's room, stopping only when he was right in front of him.

"To make us feel nervous and work harder." Lindow stared X in the...sunglasses. "You should know what that's like, having to work with new bloods and all."

In an all too rare moment, X removed his sunglasses. He wiped then on his white shirt to clean them. Lindow watched X's movements, as well as his closed eyelids. "That information you gave me on the new recruits... I take it such Intel wouldn't have been available to me as a Private?"

"Nope." Lindow was blunt in his own style. "But hey, with the way you're progressing, I wouldn't be surprised if there was another promotion for you on the horizon."

X placed his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose.

"I hope you used more than just the information I sent you, rookie."

X had a brief flashback to the helicopter ride to the Forgotten Carrier. He saw his communicator screen full of the text Lindow sent him.

"I used the pointers you gave me; commenting on their performance mid-mission, utilizing their strengths, and giving them a pre-mission pep talk."

Lindow's small smile became a large grin. "And?"

"And we're alive, aren't we?" X pushed his sunglasses over his eyes. He opened his eyes in time to see Lindow frown.

"Not the answer I was expecting..."

"Then stop expecting things."

"C'mon, rookie, you know that's impossible."

"Since as a God Eater, we have to expect the unexpected." X spoke in unison with Lindow. Lindow let out a chuckle before turning back to his terminal.

"You're dismissed, rookie." X did not move. Lindow looked over his shoulder at X. There was an eerie silence between the two of them. "What?"

"My weapon wasn't strong enough up against that Borg."

"So have it upgraded, then."

"If you remember, I took out both a Borg and a Kongou not too long ago."

"Enemies get tougher as you go up in the ranks. You need to get tougher, too."

"Fair enough," X turned around and walked to the door. "But something seemed off..." The door closed behind him. Lindow sighed and booted up his terminal.

"C'mon, rookie," Lindow sighed although he had a smile on his face. "I got the message loud and clear the first time you brought it up. Give me some credit..."

_**Page Break**_

"X, it's late." Licca spoke, rubbing her eyes with a yawn.

"You're right. You can go ahead to sleep. I'll lock up when I leave."

"That's not what I meant, X." Licca approached the God Eater hunched over the working table. "You have a mission tomorrow with Lindow, Sakuya and Kota, don't you?"

"We fight a Vajra." X heard Licca gasp. "Exactly. That's why I need to upgrade right now." X heard Licca's footsteps go off into the distance. "Good, I work better alone." No sooner had the words left X's mouth, Licca's footsteps grew louder.

"You might work better alone," X looked up at Licca. She held out a beverage to X, her eyes on his God Arc. "But using a soldering iron as a screwdriver shows that you haven't gotten the hang of tuning God Arcs."

X looked from Licca to the table then to Licca again.

"I thought something was off." X took the drink from Licca. Licca gave X's shoulder a nudge. "What?"

"Scooh over."

"Shouldn't you be going to bed?" X noticed that Licca also held a drink in her hand. X slid over on the sitting bench and Licca sat beside him. "You should be getting rest."

Licca opened her can and looked at X. X looked back at her, awaiting her response.

"Why?" She asked, taking a sip from her can. X read the label. 'Iced Curry'.

"Because you'll be needed to inspect the God Arcs in the morning before a ton of God Eaters go out for missions."

"If it's just inspections," Licca took a longer sip from her can. "Any of the dozens of engineers can handle it."

X let out what sounded like a grunt. "Still, being up this late can't be good for your health."

"Do you really want to get rid of me that badly?" Licca sounded disappointed.

X looked down at his God Arc, but responded rather quickly. "I'm just concerned about how this will effect your performance." X looked back at Licca when he heard her laugh.

"You're not the only one who pulls all nighters, you know." Licca stared at X's face for any signs of...anything. She saw none, and decided to follow up with: " Especially when there's this new recruit who keeps bringing you materials to make a new sword since he doesn't like the gear Fenrir gave him." Licca saw X's forehead wrinkle.

X opened his can, angling himself away from Licca. "You've made you point." X took a sip and recoiled away from the beverage instantly. "Coffee..."

"You don't like coffee?" Licca sounded surprised.

"I wasn't expecting it..." X drank a bit of the liquid. He then went into his coat pocket and pulled out two energy bars. "It tastes better with these." He lifted his arm halfway, offering an energy bar to Licca. She took it and then looked to her iced curry drink.

"How does it taste with iced curry?" Licca wondered. X opened his energy bar and took a bite from it. He noticed the curious look on Licca's face – and then took her drink from her hand.

"Hey!" Licca watched as X took a sip of her iced curry drink. Licca watched X as he swallowed and moved his mouth a bit.

"Not bad." X placed the can down in front of Licca and took another bite of his energy bar. "Let's get to work, shall we?" X placed his snack and drink down and picked up the soldering iron.

"Hey!" X looked at Licca. "You just drank my drink!" Licca sounded more shocked than offended.

"I didn't drink all of it." X spoke bluntly.

"It's not just the amount, it's the principle..." Licca seemed to calm down. "You're so hopeless."

X used the back of his hand to push his can closer to Licca. "Then make us even."

Licca looked at the can of iced coffee. She then looked to X who put down the sauteing iron and picked up some raw materials. Licca looked back tot he can and picked it up.

"It's the principle..." She murmured to herself, placing the can to her lips.

_**Page Break**_

"Hmm..." Johannes von Schicksal watched the footage of X's mission with the new recruits and Kota. "Interesting..." he paused the video at the exact moment the Borg leaped into the air. He typed a few commands into his laptop before letting the video play some more.

Schicksal paused the video again when he saw X go flying over he edge. "And you managed to survive that? Impressive." He then watched how the recruits and Kota managed against the Borg, nodding to himself at various points of the fight. His eyebrow raised when he saw X return and fire Impulse Edges into the Borg's body.

Schicksal paused the video and opened a drawer of his desk. He took out a vile of orange fluid that matched the Borg's flesh. "This sample should prove to be...most informative..."

_**Page break**_

With a loud cackle, the cracked terminal booted up.

"You wanted to speak to me, Boss?" Feit began, wiping make-up off of his face.

"How did it go?" Leader asked.

"Wasting no time, huh Boss?"

"Feit..." Leader began threateningly.

Feit sighed. "The test subject ended up just as berserk as the last ones."

"Was there an increase to its properties as well as its aggression?"

"Must have been, since the damn thing nearly killed Silver."

"..."

"Leader? Did you die?"

"You wish you were that lucky, Feit." Leader let out a groan. "Keep on conducting those experiments, Feit."

"Righty-o bossy-o." Feit pulled off the blond curly wig on his head.

"Feit..."

"Yeah?"

"Are you dressed as a female, by chance?"

Feit gasped, genuinely surprised. "You told me this place wasn't on surveillance!"

"It's not, Feit," Leader let out a chuckle. "I can just sense your odd vibes being even freakier than usual."

Feit let out a low curse. "I had to -"

"You just wanted to feel pretty, didn't you?" Leader cut off.

"What's that Leader? The connection-" Feit kicked the terminal's off button. The terminal shook for a few seconds before becoming steady. "Heh heh, works every time." Feit rummaged around the room, and found a list of the experiments he still had to carry out.

"Huh. A Vajra? Yeah, I can definitely handle this..."

_And that's the end of chapter eleven! Things are going to start taking off from here, as missions will be sped through and recapped to get to the non-canon plot. I've done some planning, and I'm going to have to do a lot, and I mean A LOT of...well, work. Leave a review if you'd like, although I for one feel like this chapter was a bit...lacking. It must be because I'm looking forward to one particular part and since I'm not there yet, everything else seems insignificant._

_Don't think that means I'll be cutting corners or anything!_

_Stay frosty, everyone!_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Don't Run Away**_

_No time for words. I gotta type words!_

**Chapter 12 – A Typical God Eater Day?/A Tooth For A Tooth (Part One)**

"Kinaia, Alissa, Kiria." The three aforementioned women looked to their leader for this mission. "The target is a Sariel."

"A Sariel?" Alissa was surprised. "The flying Aragami that specializes in poison attacks?"

"Yeah," their leader hefted his God Arc onto his shoulder. "So whenever it starts flying, it's up to you two New-Types to ground it. Understood?"

"Understood, Sergeant Soma." Kiria responded immediately.

"Understood." Alissa sounded off a second later.

"Kinaia." Soma spoke as the four God Eaters walked to the helicopter. "You're going to be the second in command for this mission."

"Alright," Kinaia watched Soma's back for a moment. "But why does it sound like you're giving us separate orders?"

Soma, who was boarding the helicopter looked over his shoulder. "Because the three of you are going to stay the hell out of my way as much as possible."

Alissa and Kiria felt shivers go down their spines. Kinaia, on the other hand, only seemed agitated.

"What is with you guys and your ego complexes?" Kinaia pushed past Soma and took her seat in the helicopter.

"Are you lumping me together with that moron again?!" Soma's usually low and callous voice flared with anger for a second.

"Maybe." Kinaia teased, not looking at Soma.

"How many times do I have to tell you -" Soma caught himself and let out a grunt, forcing himself to calm down. "That's no way to speak to your superior."

"And flying off the handle is no way to act in front of new recruits." Kinaia pointed to Alissa and Kiria. Soma, who was still blocking the helicopter, looked back at them.

"Why aren't you two ready yet?" He moved out of the way. "Get on already!" Alissa and Kiria quickly, and gracefully, boarded the helicopter, taking seats next to one another. Soma got on, and shot the two recruits a glare. He sat down next to Kinaia.

"Don't worry about him," Kinaia spoke to Alissa and Kiria. "He's all bark and no bite." Soma pulled his hood over his head even more. He crossed his arms over his God Arc and reclined against the interior of the helicopter.

"Wake me up when we get there..." Soma grumbled.

* * *

X stopped what he was doing and looked over his shoulder.

"What's the matter, X?" Licca, who was on the other side of the training room observing X through the glass, questioned over the intercom.

"Nothing," X shook his head. "I just had the feeling someone was speaking about me for a second."

"Well then, finish up your weapons clinic and rest up before your mission." Licca took her finger off of the talk button on the intercom and watched as X swung his God Arc around. "The weight augmentation doesn't seem to be bothering him."

Licca pressed the communication button once more. "Now deploying artificial Aragami." She typed in the command for three Ogretails. The synthetic gel coagulated, and three fake Ogretails dropped into the room with X. The training dummies were programmed to follow the habits of real Ogretails, as were all the other training dummies used in the simulations.

But before the Ogretails had a chance to notice X, they were all on their sides, disintegrating.

"Whoa." Licca watched as X walked away from the three puddles of ooze. X waved at Licca behind the glass and walked towards the exit. Licca disabled the training program and disengaged the locks. "Great job, X." Licca spoke into the communication device just as X walked out of the door.

"You done warming up, rookie?" X did not seem surprised at Lindow's sudden presence.

"Yeah, let's head out." X walked past Lindow who already had his God Arc. There was the sound of hurrying footsteps just as X heard Licca's voice.

"Are you going on your mission already, X?" Licca asked, a little winded from running.

"Yeah." X spoke dismissively. "Why, is there something you need to check with my God Arc?"

"No, your God Arc is in top condition." Licca sounded a bit worried. "But you've been up with me all night. Are you sure that you should be fighting now, and against a Vajra no less?"

X looked over his shoulder at the grinning Lindow staring at him.

"We were going over upgrades on my weapons." X explained, continuing towards the raining room exit.

"Sure you were, rookie." Lindow then smiled at Licca. "I'll be sure to bring back your boyfriend in one piece."

Lindow noticed the gray grease stains on Licca's face gain a hint of red. "That is totally inappropriate, Lindow!" Licca sounded calm, but Lindow could see her fists shaking.

"My bad," Lindow chuckled. "I should have said 'significant other'. That's the politically correct term in the work place, right?"

"Leave her alone, Corporal." X's voice echoed from the open exit. "We have an Aragami to take out." X watched as Lindow made some final comments to Licca. "Or do I have to explain to Sakuya what took us so long?"

X saw Lindow visibly stiffen before turning on his heel. "No need to pull out the big guns, rookie!" Lindow jogged to catch up with X. "Speaking of guns..." Lindow eyed X's God Arc. "That's not a standard assault gun."

"It's the Irubaki Bowgun." X spoke as he and Lindow jogged to the rear elevator of the God Arc storage room. "I had extra materials after upgrading my blade, so I also used them to make a new gun and shield."

"What's the shield called?" Lindow made small talk as they awaited the elevator.

"The Inugami Shield. It may not have the best overall defense, but it's ready for a bit of everything." The elevator dinged as the doors opened. "I can make up for whatever is missing."

"Smart thinking, rookie." Lindow complimented as they boarded the elevator.

"Still with the rookie?" X asked, mildly surprised.

"Yep," Lindow lit a cigarette. "Until you show me differently."

"That day will come, Lindow." Lindow's eyes swayed to X. While there was no emotional change in X's voice, Lindow picked up a new resolve behind X's words.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Lindow responded, a hint of pride in his voice.

They were silent for a majority of the ride...

"Licca likes you a lot." Lindow exhaled a cloud of smoke. He put out the cigarette butt on the elevator door. "But I'm sure you already knew that."

X remained both silent and inert.

"Anyway, it's not my place to intervene"

"Then don't intervene." Lindow was caught off guard by the sharpness of X's voice.

"Then don't intervene." Lindow mocked, half continuing his point, and half upset that he almost didn't have a comeback. "It's not my place to intervene but, you shouldn't leave the girl hanging."

"What would you know about girl advice?" Lindow discreetly shot a look at X. At first, it sounded like X was being cynical as always...but as the seconds sped by, was Lindow picking up...sincerity in X's voice. "It's obvious that you and Sakuya like one another."

"Sakuya and I have our professional relationship cleared up." Lindow spoke with confidence.

"What about your personal relationship?" X asked, his voice a monotone.

"Sakuya," Lindow's voice was commanding. "And I have our professional relationship cleared up." Lindow lit another cigarette.

"Understood, corporal." X shifted his weight on to his God Arc. "Then I'll do the same with Licca."

Lindow sighed as he let out the cigarette smoke. "You can't just replicate someone else's relationship and call it your own, rookie." The elevator doors opened up, revealing the Den's helipad. "When we get back from this mission, we're going to finish this conversation." Lindow hefted his God Arc and led the way to the elevator.

* * *

"You three go left. The Sunken Grid is a glorified circle, so if we meet up on the opposite side, we'll know the Sariel isn't in the immediate area." Soma jumped down from the drop point and took off right.

"Men and their egos." Alissa shook her head. She was amazed when Soma stopped and pointed his God Arc at her from afar.

"Rookie! Don't lump me together with anyone else ever again!" Soma then pulled a one-eighty and took off into the distance.

"He heard you." Kiria whispered in amazement. "I didn't think anyone would be able to hear from that distance unless they yelled."

"Soma's hearing is super-sensitive for some odd reason." Kinaia remarked.

"Speaking of which," Alissa began. "Isn't this a mission for the First Unit?" She asked Kinaia.

"Yeah, why?" Kinaia asked, removing a small cloth from her pocket and wiping off her God Arc for good measure.

"Well, I did some research on all the God Eaters, and it says you're in the Defense Squad." Kinaia placed her cloth in her pocket again and smiled at Alissa.

"Yeah, I put in the request a week before you two got here. I'm not officially a member yet, but I've been doing mission with the Defense Squad pretty much since I got here. I guess my transfer is almost complete." Kinaia then remembered when she was first transferred to the Branch.

"Actually, my first mission was with X." She looked up tot he sky for a moment. "If I remember correctly, he and some of the other's from Lindow's group are hunting a Vajra today."

Kinaia heard a gasp and looked to her left. Both she and Alissa were looking a Kiria, The orange haired girl looked perfectly fine, aside from the nervous tremble in her knees. "Something wrong?" Kinaia asked the rookie. Kiria shook her head no. Kinaia then noticed Kiria's change of attire from yesterday.

Kiria wore Wild Garnet Top, Belle Slacks. But what drew Kinaia's attention the most was the pair of red headphones on her head. "Those headphones are cool."

Kiria looked at Kinaia. "Thanks." The recruit offered. "Let's begin." She gestured to the left with her God Arc. Kinaia sensed Kiria's uneasiness and decided to let things be.

"Alright you two, stick close to me." Kinaia leaped down from drop point.

* * *

Sakuya, Kota and X landed right behind Lindow.

"This is second time we've faced a Vajra, right?" Lindow began as the quadrumvirate scurried across the Wailing Plains. "Same area, too."

"Oh yeah," Kota spoke between breaths. "We were supposed to take out a total of four Ogretails in this area and avoid the Vajra at all costs." Kota then looked to Lindow and Sakuya ahead of him. "Do you think it's the same one?"

"That's a possibility." Sakuya spoke up, not seeming to suffer from any fatigue while running. "Since we didn't take out it out last time, and Vajras tend to be territorial."

"This just means that we can get our revenge." Lindow laughed. "It took our last kill on that mission, afterall."

"Oh yeah," Kota huffed, keeping his eyes and ears on high alert. "Wasn't that last Ogretail supposed to be yours, X?"

X remained silent as he took up the rear.

"Silence is as good an answer as a yes." Sakuya spoke teasingly. "So why don't we let X get the final blow?"

"He gets the final blow if he earns it." Lindow cut in. "Besides, that's if we even find the darn thing."

Kota checked his map. "We're at the opposite side of the plains, and we still didn't find it yet..."

"Then it must be roaming." Sakuya debated. "Vajras aren't known for the patience."

"Above us, on the rocks!" X's voice caused the other three God Eaters to look up. From the center of the Wailing Plains, emerging from the twister with a roar,

The Vajra was a large, black quadruped with a peach colored bearded mane, an exoskeleton-like forehead and a cape-like organ sprouting from the nape of its neck. It's most noticeable feature was its two tusks, the right tusk was broken in half.

* * *

"Looks like it's time to get serious." Soma whispered to himself. He had found the Sariel. It was on ground level, no doubt scouring for something to eat. Soma considered himself lucky; it was rare for a Sariel to eat without having had sustained damage. Soma moved from his hidden position and ran towards the Sariel.

"What the hell?"

A typical Sariel sported blue-green feathers that formed a midriff baring dress around the Aragami's disturbingly female human body. However, the Sariel before Soma had clearly been engaged in battle recently. Now that Soma was a few yards away, he saw that it was dripping green fluid from its torso.

"It looks like I'll be putting you out of your misery." Soma hefted his God Arc over his head. The Sariel, suddenly alerted to his presence, spun around quickly. It scanned the ground, but could not find the target it had sensed.

Soma's blade fell swiftly on its giant eye organ, piercing the Oracle Cells and shattering them. With a low, gurgling sound, the Sariel fell limp and lifeless. Soma, still atop the Sariel, stared down at it. Its skirt, legs and wing oracle cells had were unbound, possibly before it even came to the Sunken Grid. Soma went into his pocket and retrieved a convergence flare. He jumped off of the Sariel and placed it on the ground. A few seconds later, the red flare took off into the air.

"They're going to need to see this," Soma looked back at the Sariel.

* * *

"Oh my goodness..." Sakuya whispered, placing a hand oer her mouth.

"Whoa... this is unreal..." Kota was just as shocked as Sakuya was.

"This could be cause for alarm..." Lindow divined, using his God Arc to prod at their target.

"..." X remained silent as he scanned the area around them for any disturbances.

"A cause for alarm?" Kota let out a worried laugh. "The Vajra's dead, end of story. We can call it a day early, right?"

"We need to investigate this." Both Lindow and Sakuya stated at the same time.

Kota hung his head. "I knew you'd say that..." He then looked to X. "Something up, X?"

X was a few yards off, crouching near a decaying building. X rolled his sleeve over his hand, and placed his fingers into the corner formed by the ground and the building. He lifted his fingers to the light; a blue and purple feather had been stuck to some purple ooze that was rapidly dissolving. X examined the feather, aware of the three pairs of footsteps approaching him.

"It's a feather." X spoke, standing up to show his team what he had found.

"That's not just any feather..." Lindow began, his eyes narrowing.

"That's a Goddess Feather." Sakuya's eyes widened. "It's a material from a Sariel that releases gases." The same moment she said that, a small amount of purple mist came from the feather as though it had exhaled.

"A Sariel?" Kota rubbed his temple. "What's a Sariel?"

"A flying Aragami." X began, bagging the feather and putting it in his pocket. "It specializes in aerial combat and poisonous techniques. It's called a goddess because of its striking appearance to human women. It's also theorized to be related to Zygotes, based on their common anatomical structure and behavior."

X's eyes jumped from Kota, Lindow and Sakuya. "What?"

"Someone's been doing their homework." Lindow praised.

"One of us had to." X spoke, gesturing at Kota.

"That was a low blow!" Kota shot back, his voice nervous.

"Still," Sakuya piped up, attracting everyone's attention. "It's extremely rare for Sariels to be in this vicinity. They tend to flock ni wide open areas that permit flying, and there are one too many tall buildings to allow that."

"True," Lindow commented, pointing back at the Vajra. "But Sariels are nosy Aragami. They'll fly into other Aragami's territory and that'll stir up a ruckus."

"IS that what you think happened here?" Sakuya questioned Lindow.

"It's hard to know for sure," Lindow looked around. "There isn't much evidence to tell us anything. And that Vajra won't be explaining anything anytime soon..."

"So what, we just call it a day?" Kota asked again.

"Why are you so anxious to take off, Kota?" Sakuya sounded a bit fed up.

"Well, I was watching Bugarally before we left, and it was really starting to get good..."

Lindow turned to X. "Wait a minute, why do I heave the feeling there's something we're missing here?"

X looked back a Lindow, his brow wrinkling in thought. "I have that feeling, too."

"Should we search the immediate area for more clues?" Sakuya suggested.

X shook his head, although Sakuya wasn't asking him that question. "It's something we already know...but it's evading me now. It's about that Sariel."

Kot's ears perked up. "Sariel? Wasn't Soma's group supposed to be fighting a Sariel today?" Lindow, Sakuya and X all gasped then looked to Kota. Kota jumped back at the sudden movement. "Whoa! Was it something I said?"

Kota jumped back a second time when Lindow began beeping.

Lindow pulled out his communicator and checked the name. "Speak of the devil." He answered it with an airy. "Hello, you're on speaker."

"You guys found that Vajra yet?" Soma's voice sounded just as on guard as Lindow's group.

"Yeah," Lindow laughed. "But it dropped dead before we could even say hello."

"Hmm..." Soma sounded contemplative.

"How are things on your end?" Lindow asked.

"This Sariel dropped after I hit it once."

"Showing off?" Lindow asked, his voice competitive.

"Don't be ridiculous." Soma hissed. "Something isn't right-"

"Soma, we found something!" Kinaia's voice was low and sudden.

"What is it?" Soma asked, his voice sounding ike he had turned away from his communicator.

"It looks like some sort of...fang." Alissa's voice this time.

"Oy, Soma, put you phone on speaker." Lindow ordered. He heard a click from Soma's end.

"Hey, rookies, can you hear me? This is Lindow Amamiya, your Unit Leader." He then corrected himself. "Uh, except you, Kinaia, but you're a First Unit member for the moment."

"We can hear you." Kinaia let out a small chuckle. "Leader."

"That fang, what does it look like?" Lindow asked. He then pointed at X. X tilted his head, curious as to why Lindow was now pointing at the dead Vajra.

"It's white," Kinaia began. "Curved...lookes like it's used for chewing."

"It's sharp." Kiria's voice this time. "Looks like a back row tooth, judging on its almost square shape."

"X," Lindow ordered. "Stick your head inside that Vajra's mouth for me, will ya?"

Kota, Alissa, Kinaia and Kiria all gasped. Soma let out a low groan and Sakuya placed her palm on her face.

X instantly caught on. "Roger." He replied in monotone.

Kota, Alissa, Kinaia and Kiria all shouted out at once: "Don't be so casual about it!"

X, being closely watched by Kota and Sakuya, used his God Arc to open the Vajra's mouth. He stuck his blade in between its lips, and with some very visible effort, used the leverage to open the beasts jaws. "Kota, if it bites down on me, shoot it."

"What?!" Kota nearly screamed at the top of his lungs. "Why me?"

"Because my Arc isn't in gun form." X replied dully before sticking his head in its mouth. He looked around, wary of putting his hands on the Aragami's sharp teeth. He couldn't sere any missing teeth from where he was, be recalled that Kiria said it looked like a back row tooth.

"Lindow," Soma's voice. "What the hell do you have your private doing?"

"A little dentistry work." Lindow responded, watching X climb into the beasts mouth.

"X!" Kota yelled, taking aim at the Vajra lying on its side. X ignored Kota, and climbed in further. He was mildly surprised that the Vajra had no saliva glands, recalling that the oracle cells only replicated the structure of whatever they devoured, but not its every organ or anatomical quirk. X could now only feel his claves and feet hanging out of the Vajra's mouth, but he continued to look around diligently.

"What's this?" Lindow smiled at the curiosity in X's voice.

"Soma, I think we found something."

"Don't say 'we' when you have your subordinates doing all the work!" Soma scolded Lindow.

"You're one to talk!" Kinaia spoke up. "We're the one's you made examine the Sariel while you just sat there doing nothing!"

"It's a part of your training." Soma scoffed at Kinaia.

"Yeah right!" Kinaia spat back.

"X, what'd you find?" Lindow asked, holding in his laughter from the argument on Soma's end.

"I found a-" X's foot kicked his God Arc. Instantly, the Vajra's mouth snapped shut. Kota and Sakuya let out a yell when they saw one of X's shoes fall to the ground.

"What happened?" Alissa's voice sounded concerned.

"X!" Kota opened fire on the once presumed dead body. His shots ripped through the Vajra's flesh, creating s small opening in its flank. He, Sakuya and Lindow stared blankly at the Vajra for a second.

"Why are you firing?" Kiria's voice this time, and it sounded just as concerned as Alissa's.

"The Vajra ate X..." Kota whispered to himself. He then turned to Lindow. "The Vajra ate X!" He shouted, resulting in a few gasps from the other end of Lindow's communicator.

"I'm fine!" Kota turned back to the Vajra, and found X's head sticking out of its flank. Kota felt his stomach flop at the sight. Little did he know, X's stomach was felt even more nauseous than his. "It can't chew since it's dead, and those shots you fired let me know which was was out, since the jaw was so hard to open from the outside."

X 's fist then shot out of the Vajra next to his head. "A little help would be nice, someone."

Sakuya, who was nearest the Vajra walked over to X. She bent over and smiled at him.

"Never thought I'd see the day when a God Eater willingly crawled into an Aragami's mouth."

"Blame your boyfriend." X spoke low enough so that Sakuya didn't hear him.

"What was that?" Sakuya asked, her voice possibly teetering on annoyance.

"I said, pull me out now." X then added. "Please." He wiggled his hand. Sakuya took his hand, and with one massive pull, some internal fluid, and some rather nasty noises, X was freed.

"Thanks." He muttered, shaking the blood off of his leg. He looked down at this sock. "Where did my shoe go?" X looked around the ground. Two boots stopped in front of him

He looked up to find Lindow holding his missing shoe. In Lindow's other hand was the communicator that was still on.

"Did that really just happen?" Alissa asked, sounded queasy.

"Sure sounded like it." Soma's sullen voice seemed undeterred.

"What was the point of that?" Kinaia asked.

"Tell them, rookie." Lindow smiled at X. X wiped some blood from his face and opened his mouth...

* * *

"Wait, so the Vajra _wasn't_ missing a fang?"

Lindow, Soma, Sakuya, Alissa, Kota, Kinaia and Kiria were all sitting in X's room. The two groups had reported their findings to Tsubaki and were brought back home immediately. Upon Lindow's request, Tsubaki allowed for the two groups to be merged into one, seeing as how their missions intersected on some unknown point.

"Nope." Lindow answered Alissa's question as he opened X's fridge. "Damn, no beer."

"So then, why did you have him crawl inside that Vajra's mouth?!" Kinaia now asked, watching as Lindow dug deeper into the mini fridge.

"It was fun to watch." Lindow was joking, but his voice sounded dead serious.

"I knew you were sick." Soma, who was standing by the door shook his head.

Alissa, Kiria and Kinaia were seated on the section of the couch that shared the room's entrance. Sakuya was seated on the section of the couch facing X's bed, her eyes jumping between Lindow at the fridge, and Kota trying to watch Bugarally on X's terminal.

"You two are seriously invading X's privacy." Sakuya sighed, seeing her words weren't reaching Lindow and Kota.

"Oh, hey, I found some!" Lindow pulled out a six pack of beer from X's freezer. "Huh, one's missing..."

"X gets beer rations?" Kiria questioned, looking over at Lindow.

"Apparently." Lindow took one of the cans and opened them. He took a few sips, sighing between everyone. He then turned to Soma, offering a can.

"No thanks." Soma waved his hand at Lindow. "I'm not stealing any of his rations."

Lindow then offered one to Sakuya. "I'm good, thanks." Sakuya said with a smile. "Besides, I don't want to get in trouble with X. It's bad enough we're in here without his permission."

"Speaking of X," Alissa looked around at everyone in the room. "Where is he?"

"X is taking a shower." Kota spoke up as he went through several disks. "He said he wanted to get the Vajra smell off of him."

"Well," Lindow opened a second can of beer. "He needs to hurry up because he's the one with the Chimera Fang."

Soma looked over at Lindow. "Why does he have our Vajra fang?" He then looked to Kinaia. "Did you give X the fang we found in the Sariel?"

Kinaia shook her head and produced the fang from her pocket. "And again with the 'we'! You aren't the one who searched the Sariel!"

Kinaia looked to Lindow. "Why did you call it a 'chimera fang'?"

"That's what it's called." Lindow said with a shrug. "HQ comes up with the names, we just use them." Lindow closed the fridge and opened up the cabinet above it. "Oh hey, I found his stash of energy bars!"

Kota and Soma looked up. "Pass me one." They both said. They then looked at one another with slightly puzzled looks.

"You like them, too?" Kota asked Soma.

"They're not as bad as I thought." He responded in monotone and avoided eye contact with Kota.

"Wow, looks like you and X have something else in common." Kota laughed.

"Don't lump me together with any of-" Soma stopped himself, and looked around the room. "Nevermind."

Lindow laughed. "So much for not stealing his rations, huh, Soma?" He threw an energy bar to Soma who gave him a glare. Lindow then threw one to Kota, who received it with a smile on his face. "Anyone else want one?" Lindow held another energy bar in his free hand.

"You can't just eat his rations like that!" Kinaia objected.

"Honestly, is this how all of you men behave?" Alissa sounded disgusted.

"X is going to be really angry when he gets back..." Sakuya warned.

"I'll try one." Kiria was the odd girl out. She caught the energy bar when Lindow threw it. She then realized the look Alissa and Kinaia were giving her. "I was curious." Kiria offered as an excuse before opening the energy bar.

"Don't worry," Lindow shook the box full of energy bars. "He has a ton of these things..."

A few moments later...

"I can't believe we ate all of his energy bars..." Sakuya looked at all of the empty wrappers around the room.

"Yeah," Lindow spoke, chewing on the last piece of an energy bar. "You guys are in a lot of trouble."

"Us?!" Kinaia pointed at Lindow. "You're the one who kept throwing them at everyone, screaming 'bars for all'!"

"You're the one who still has two unopened bars in her hand." Lindow replied calmly. "Or were you offering those to me?"

Kinaia looked at the energy bars in her hand, and quickly retracted it to her chest. "I-I don't know what you're taking about..."

Lindow smiled, waving his hand in front of his face. "We did not eat any energy bars."

Soma looked over at Lindow from his spot at the door. "That stupid mind trick thing doesn't work in real life!"

"C'mon you guys," Kota's mouth was still stuffed with energy bars as he watched Bugarally on X's terminal. "This is the best part of the season and you're all making too much noise!"

"Weren't we supposed to be discussing a very serious matter?" Alissa tried to get everyone on track again.

"You have crumbs on your cheek." Kiria pointed out.

"Oh my!" Alissa turned away from everyone and tried to wipe them off. "Does anyone have a napkin?"

"Someone's a messy little God Eater!" Sakuya teased.

"You're one to talk..." Lindow mumbled before taking a sip of the final beer.

"What was that?!" Sakuya had heard him. Lindow slipped off of the couch before Sakuya could grab him.

Soma's head perked up and he turned his ear to the door. "He's coming."

Everyone stopped what they were doing.

"This place is a mess!" Sakuya hissed, diving for the empty energy bar box.

" Quick cleanup!" Lindow ordered, springing up from the floor.

X let out a yawn. He had fallen asleep in the shower again. Luckily, he wasn't due for any meetings so X decided to get a few hours of sleep. He knew that with the merging of two groups there would be an increase in the workload, and he wanted to make sure that he had the energy to keep up with the changes.

"Speaking of energy," X spoke to himself under his breath. "I need to throw out those stale energy bars..." X raised his hand to open his door, but stopped. First, he felt a presence on the opposite side of the door.

'(Schicksal?)' X thought to himself. It was then that X heard the name 'Isamu' along with music. "Kota's in my room watching Bugarally. Again." X opened up his door.

"Kota, how many times-"

X stopped. He looked around the room at his fellow God Eaters looking back at him.

"I didn't know we were meeting so soon." X spoke calmly.

"The sooner the better." Lindow smiled, lifting a beer can to X in greeting.

"You went through my refrigerator." X commented.

"What are you doing with beer rations?"

"What are you doing with _my _beer rations?"

"Fair enough." Lindow took a sip. X looked to his left and saw Soma standing there.

"Are you supposed to be the bouncer or the lookout?" X joked dryly.

"Don't lump me together with these morons." Soma answered just as dryly.

X then looked over at Kota. "You're on the guest profile, right?"

Kota nodded. He was too absorbed in the show to look away...

X looked over at the couch. "Ladies." He greeted them. X walked over to the table and placed the chimera fang in his possession next to the one retrieved by Soma's group.

"I ran a few tests." X noticed that his fang was almost twice the size of the other fang. "And that is no normal Vajra chimera fang."

"You..." Alissa began. "Don't seem very surprised to see us all in here."

"I had a feeling that everyone would end up here, anyway." X gestured to Lindow. "So I told Lindow the code for my room."

"So we were invited?!" Kinaia glared at Lindow. "You made it seem like we broke in."

"It's more fun that way." Lindow chuckled.

Kiria then spoke up. "So then we cleaned up for no reason?"

X, who had been inspecting the Vajra fangs looked between Lindow and Kiria. "Cleaned up what?"

"The fang." Lindow spoke swiftly. "You know how messy those materials can get."

X raised an eyebrow. "Cleaning materials is a priority to divine their worth."

Lindow spit a raspberry. "I know that. Explain it to the recruit." Lindow waved at Kiria. X turned his head to her, giving Lindow a chance to make a gesture to Kiria. Lindow drew his thumb across his throat while shaking his head, signaling for Kiria to remain silent about the energy bars.

"You shouldn't cut corners, Kiria." X scolded her. "I thought you;d know better than that." X looked back at the two fangs. Kiria looked from X to Lindow. The expression of disbelief on her face was almost painful to look at.

But the hateful glare she shot Lindow a split second later easily made one reconsider feeling sorry for her.

"So," Kinaia began, trying to move past the angry aura coming off of Kiria. "What did your test results tell you?"

"Inconclusive." X placed the two fangs on the table.

"So...nothing?" Sakuya asked, the gears in her mind beginning to work.

X shook his head. "Inconclusive as in there's a something...different about the Vajra this fang came from, but I couldn't tell what."

"It looks the same to me." Alissa spoke put. "Just larger. Is it uncommon for this type of Aragami to attack other species?"

"Vajras tend to hunt Ogretails for food." Soma drew everyone's attention. "Me, Amamiya and Tachibana have seen it a few times before."

"Oh, hey, I remember that!" Lindow laughed. "Back when they put the new-type of corn into circulation." Lindow then looked at X. "And not too long before you joined, rookie."

Kiria and Alissa then looked at X. "Rookie?" Kiria repeated.

"Lindow still calls you a rookie?" Alissa asked, looking between the Corporal and the Private.

"It's a term of endearment." Lindow smiled at Alissa. Alissa blinked, and then looked away as though she were appalled. "Oh...kay then..." Lindow let the topic go.

"Why is it so difficult for you people to stick to one topic?" Soma complained.

"ALRIGHT!" Kota shouted, nearly making everyone jump. "You show that no good punk what happens when you get on the wrong side of justice!"

Sakuya laughed. "Does that answer your question, Soma?"

"Chet..." Soma crossed his arms and fell silent.

"Vajra will fight to defend their territory," X answered Alissa's question and picked up for Soma. "But it's almost unheard of for Sariels and Vajras to reside in the same area. Not to mention that they were both attacked by a larger, much more violent Vajra."

The faces of the veteran God Eaters visibly darkened.

"What evidence do you have to support that, X?" Sakuya asked, her voice serious.

"Lindow had me inspect the Vajra from our mission because he figured our target had fought to a near death state with the target of Soma's group."

"And my theory was blown out of the water when you realized that the Vajra wasn't missing a fang." Lindow put down the half empty can of beer.

"Correct." X crouched down at the table.

"So if your Vajra wasn't missing a fang," Soma moved from the wall and stood near the table closer to Sakuya and Lindow. "Where did that fang come from."

"The mouth of our Vajra." X's voice was grim.

"So...it was missing a fang?" Kiria sounded confused.

"No," X looked over his shoulder. Kota was sitting beside him. "That's a Vajra fang from another Vajra, isn't it?"

"How could you tell, Kota?" X asked.

"When I was watching you climb into its mouth, I counted its teeth and estimated its length. That fang...looks much thicker then the outside ones."

X nodded. "Kota's right. This Vajra fang," X lifted it up. "Came from a Vajra that not only attacked another Vajra, but also the Sariel that ended up at the Sunken Grid."

_And this is where I call it a chapter! Actually, this is where I'll end the first part of this chapter. It's finally here people – the beginning of the two plots slowly intertwining into one familiar yet original mega plot! I'll be jumping right into the second part of this chapter after I finish these author notes to keep up the momentum._

_In the meantime, you guys should leave me some well detailed reviews to let me know what you of how I've been handling the game's canon thus far. As I branch off into my plot idea - which I still don't have yet – you'll begin to notice the characters, events and overall tone of the story shift. So if there's anything you would like to comment on, be it canon or fanon, now's the time! And idle chatter is totally fine, too._

_Even as the plot of the story starts to heat up, stay frosty everyone!_

_X.K._

_P.S.: Remember in the last chapter's closing author notes when I said I felt that chapter eleven was a bit lacking? I think that those weren't the right words to use. Looking back, I realize that chapter eleven was the stepping stone for this one in more ways than one; we learned that the Borg was a bit overpowered in the previous chapter and now in this chapter, there is yet another plot twist involving the Aragami. Not to mention, the character interactions have developed a bit more between the characters since then. You'll notice it if you really look for it, but don't stress over it too much._

_What I'm getting at is this; while I'm writing this story for the sheer fun and experience of writing it, i'm still trying to improve on my writing style – and not just for DoRA either. If you've ever read my profile, you'll get what I'm saying about how writing continuously evolves. And while I hope everyone who takes the time to read my stories enjoys them for their content, I hope they can also enjoy the same stories for what they stand for:_

_Creativity. Positivity. A tool for enjoyment and fostering friendships between people who probably wouldn't have had any interactions if it weren't for writing due to distance, language barriers or any other factors. And I give major kudos to the Fanfiction website for making that possible. The people who run this site have been through some stuff..._

_Yeah, this may seem like a bunch of gibberish, but I take my writing seriously – very seriously. And I hope that you guys also take my writing - all writing – seriously. At least, so long as it's trying to be serious, and not just someone writing for the sake of doing it. You guys have been great to me and I'd like to thank you all for your feedback, as well. So, that's it for the random author intervention. Hope you stick around 'til the end, and then some!_

_Hmm.. not sure how I went from talking about the story to touching on such deep stuff..._


	13. Chapter 13

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Gods Eater Burst was a damn good game. Well, IS a damn good game. Good overall customization for a handheld system, a good voice acting cast, even if the cast WAS recycled, and an average to high level of re-playability. Not to mention the storyline!_

_But characters drive any form of media, and if the characters are flat, then so is the end result. That wasn't a problem for GEB, so, hopefully, it shouldn't be a problem for DoRA. And this chapter will be focusing on a pair of my favorite characters in the game who, if the game were without, it wouldn't be the same. While they weren't directly involved in combat (for the most part), these two are, without a doubt, the main reasons why you (the Protagonist) had to keep doing what you were doing._

_And besides, this fic needs about 20% more Tsubaki!_

**Chapter 13 – The Ship Captain and The Stargazer/A Tooth For A Tooth (Part Two)**

"Please, come in Paylor."

The Director's door opened and Dr. Sakaki walked into his office.

"Johannes. So nice of you to see me so suddenly."

"I always have time for one of the only people I can call friend."

"Honestly, I'm touched Johannes."

"So, Paylor, what brings you to my office today?" The Director stood up out of his seat.

"Well, first, I have to report on that little task you assigned me."

"Then make your report," Schicksal smiled. "Doctor."

"Sadly, I've yet to make any progress in locating the subject."

"Hmm..." Schicksal placed a hand to his chin for a second.

"How are things on your end, Johannes?" Paylor asked, his Cheshire grin not waning.

"It seems although our methods differ, we share similar results." Schicksal looked the Doctor in the eye as his smile vanished.

"I see..." Sakaki adjusted his glasses on his nose. "But I doubt that's enough reason for you to give up."

"The same could be said about yourself, Paylor."

Sakaki's smile grew. "It must be the curiosity of a scientist"

"I'm no longer a scientist, Paylor." Schicksal interrupted.

"So I've been told." Sakaki chuckled. "But did you ever really stop being a scientist?"

Schicksal smiled. "I see you haven't, Paylor. Always probing for more information, always gazing into the unknown with such furious...intruige."

While Sakaki's smile did not shrink, his voice became a bit sullen. "I am the observer. Nothing more, nothing less."

"You're a scientist," Johannes' voice held humor and hubris. "It's only natural for you to..." Schicksal paused, thinking of the proper way to put his thoughts into words.

"It's only natural for you to want to experiment, regardless of the cost."

Schicksal's comment caused an odd tension in the air.

"Well Paylor," Schicksal began after a few beats of silence. "You said that your report was the first of your reasons for this visit?"

"Indeed." Sakaki adjusted his glasses. "The second thing I wanted to ask you was for some information on the discoveries made by the two squads who returned yesterday."

"You mean the two First Unit teams who both had their targets killed by a Vajra prior to their arrival?" Schicksal then continued. "Soma's group had a member of the Defense Unit assisting them. Kinaia Tsumi, the transfer from one of our outer sectors."

"Yes," Sakaki's smile grew. "I wanted to know if I'd be able to get copies of their reports."

Schicksal shook his head. "Oh?" Sakaki sounded curious. "And why not?"

"Because I have authorized the two groups to become a joint squad and seek the answers themselves." Schicksal then turned his back to Sakaki. "At Tsubaki's request, of course."

"Interesting..." Sakaki spoke pensively. "But I fail to see why this development prevents me from seeing their reports."

"There are no reports, Paylor." Schicksal spoke definitively. "The newly formed joint squad doesn't have to file any reports regarding the pending investigation until after they reach a conclusion."

Sakaki tensed up for a millisecond. He then let out a laugh. "And what, may I ask, convinced you to allow such an unstable matter go unsupervised?"

"Not what, Paylor," Schicksal's voice was plaintive. "Who."

There was a foreboding silence.

"Private X07..." Sakaki sounded wistful.

"..." Schicksal's silence was all the answer Sakaki needed.

"You seem to have high expectations for that one."

"So do you, Doctor." Paylor's voice was cut-thraot.

"Hm," Sakaki chuckled. "Shouldering our hopes and aspirations... so much pressure on the young New-Type."

"I assure you, Doctor." Was that pride in the Director's voice? "Those 'pressures' are little more than small waves for my – our – first New-Type God Eater."

Sakaki's eyes fell on the painting of a boat caught in a storm on the office wall, but his ears had picked up the Director's verbal slip. "And what will happen when those waves become a violent storm?"

Schicksal let out a laugh. "Then we'll just have to see if X07 can navigate that storm."

"And if he were to fail?"

"Then the ship will be scattered across the seven seas."

"And everyone on it." Sakaki spoke, as though he were reminding Schicksal of something. "And the merchants and cities that depend on that boat will eventually die."

"Perhaps," Schicksal looked over his shoulder. "Or, Private X07 will find the single plank adrift the stormy waters and use it to save himself."

"The Plank of Carneades." Sakaki spoke in realization.

"Indeed, Doctor." Schicksal stopped looking over his shoulder. "And so long as the Private survives, the cities and merchants you so desperately cling to shall persevere as well."

"But," Sakaki cleared his throat. "What of the crew?"

Schicksal was silent for a long, tense moment. "If the Private is not the one meant to survive, then it shall be another crew member that rides Carneades' plank to salvation."

"Hm," Sakaki sighed. "Could it be possible that you are a reincarnation of Charles Darwin?"

Sakaki noticed Schicksal's head shake. The Director turned to the Doctor with a genuine smile on his face. "I had forgotten that you are quite the comedian, Paylor."

Although he felt a pang in his chest, Sakaki decided to make his comment. "Sadly, my humor is next to nothing when compared to Aisha's."

The smile on Schicksal's face never stood a chance.

"Still," Sakaki rushed while he had the opportunity. "While I agree that it takes strength to forge ahead into the brave, new world-"

"Which brave new world, Paylor?" Schicksal interrupted.

Sakaki remained silent.

"_Who's_ new world?" Schicksal's voice was lethal. "And just how _brave_ will this world, no, the _creators_ of this world be?"

Sakaki sensed the approaching end of their conversation. "That all depends..."

"Oh?" Schicksal nearly sounded triumphant. "On what factors, Doctor?" The title 'doctor' was spoken as though it were a joke.

"Not factors," It was now Sakaki's turn to face away from Schicksal. "Factor."

Schicksal raised an eyebrow. Sakaki sensed he had the Director's attention.

"Who rides the plank of Carneades, will the crew and attached cities survive, even the factor of the storm and its severity...all dependent on one factor."

Schicksal watched the Doctor as he opened the door.

"Just who is the captain of this "ship" that Fate tells us is doomed to sink..."

Johannes von Schicksal and Paylor Sakaki were planets, each orbiting their sun in utterly different ellipses.

"When the joint squad files their reports, you'll be the first to read them, Paylor." Schicksal spoke, sitting back down in his chair.

"Second, I'm sure." Sakaki exited the room.

Schicksal typed his password into his laptop. "Paylor..." He uttered under his breath. Schicksal closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. With his other hand, he typed in a command on his laptop.

The image of an old fashioned rotary phone popped up on his screen. Beneath it was the contact name. The phone came off of the receiver and a second later, there was a voice on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Dr. Daigo Ogumura," Schicksal began, his tone low and plotting. "How is our patient doing?"

"Everything is normal, Director. Alissa's mental stability is still green"

"Good. And this connection of yours...are you sure it's going to work out?"

Dr. Ogumura let out a laugh. "The individuals I'm working with are a rather amazing bunch. I have no doubts in their unique abilities."

"How soon would these associates of yours be able to put my plan into action?"

"In a month, sir, just like we discussed."

"..."

"Sir?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"T-tomorrow?!" Dr. Ogumura coughed violently. "Sir, you nearly made me swallow my cigarette."

"I can no longer afford to exercise such extreme patience. I must start making moves now for the Aegis Project to succeed."

"But sir-"

"You _do _want a position in the new world, don't you, doctor?" Schicksal felt an odd feeling in his chest. He looked up at the door for only a moment. '(Paylor...)' he thought.

"Yes sir. So do the individuals aiding us in the process."

"Then have everything ready in two weeks." Schicksal cut the call before Dr. Ogumura could respond.

"I truly hate having to rely on third parties..."

* * *

"As enigmatic as ever, Johannes..." Sakaki spoke to himself. He punched in a few commands on his massive terminal and listened as it replayed the new recording.

"_Then have everything ready in two weeks."_

'(Have what ready in two weeks?)' Sakaki thought to himself, terminating the recording. '(There's only a 2.73 percent chance that he's speaking of the Singularity. I highly doubt that with his resources, and Soma's intervention, that Johannes had made any breakthroughs...)'

There was a knock at the door.

"Oh!" Sakaki quickly closed the windows he was browsing and replaced them with data on the current God Eaters. "Come on in!" He called out in a cheerful voice. The door slid open, and Sakaki looked ujp at his guest.

"Adviser Amamiya!" He greeted her. "What brings you here?"

"You do, Doctor. You scheduled a meeting with me at this time, remember?" Tsubaki sounded like she was scolding Sakaki.

"Oh, you're right. Forgive me." Sakaki smirked...although he was already smiling. "Cutting no corners as usual, Tsubaki."

"If you don't mind, Doctor, can we cut the chit chat and get straight to business? I've got a band of unruly God Eaters clamoring to go on missions and they demand they get my clearance." Tsubaki checked the time on her wristwatch.

"My apologies." Sakaki gestured for Tsubaki to come behind his terminal. "I wanted to cross reference your data with my own."

"Really?" Tsubaki sounded annoyed. "I could have just sent you the data-"

"Off the record." Sakaki stated, patting his terminal.

Tsubaki's lips drew into a straight line and she narrowed her eyes. "Don't treat me like some pawn in whatever game you and the Director are playing."

"Pawn?!" Sakaki sounded genuinely hurt. "Why, you'd clearly be the queen!"

"I'd prefer not to be on your chessboard at all, Doctor." Tsubaki made her way behind the terminal and looked over the Doctor's shoulder at the screen. "And your attempt at a compliment was absolutely terrible."

Sakaki chuckled. "Was I that transparent?"

"Flattery gets you nowhere, Doctor." Tsubaki looked over at her clipboard. "Which God Eater did you want to start off with?"

"Your brother, if that's alright with you." Sakaki began typing.

"His outputs look the same to me." Tsubaki flipped through a few pages of her clipboard.

"You know," Sakaki began. His closed eyes on the screen. "There are electronic versions of those." Sakaki nodded his head towards Tsubaki's clipboard.

"And what would I do if the battery died while in the middle of an important note?" Tsubaki asked, her voice showing no sign of leaving her comfort.

"What would you do if your pen ran out of ink?" Sakaki countered. He felt Tsubkai move and turned to look at her. Tsubaki reached down into her bosom and drew a second pen from her cleavage. She gave the Doctor a confident look.

Sakaki quickly looked away and resumed typing. "A wise man knows when he has been defeated."

"And an honorable one can take that defeat gracefully." Tsubaki smiled, putting the pen back. "Also, you're turning red around the ears, Doctor."

"Just your imagination!" Sakaki tried to convince himself more than anyone else. "Well, we've gone through all of our original God Eaters. All that remain are the newest God Eaters."

"Private X07, Private Kinaia Tsumi and recruits Alissa Amiellia and Kiria Jean." Tsubaki spoke methodically.

"Alisa _Ilinichina_ Amiella." Sakaki corrected.

"Are you being picky, Doctor, or are you trying to send a message?"

Sakaki stopped typing and looked at Tsubaki. "Both!" He laughed before resuming his tasks. "Let's start with Kiria, then."

"Oh?" Tsubaki was surprised. "Working backwards?"

"Well, all of the new members interest me – particularly Kinaia. And since she's the oldest New-Type of the three, I figured started chronologically would make more sense."

"Fair enough..." Tsubaki then smirked. "Although, I can't help but feel you're a child eating dessert before dinner."

"Once again, I must ask," Sakaki let out a childish giggle. "Am I really that transparent?"

"Eccentric is a much better word." Tsubaki now gave the screen her ful attention.

"I've heard that before." Sakaki spoke with an odd hint of melancholy in his voice. "Now, Ms. Jean has been a God Eater since 2070. She was recruited and worked in the main American Branch. Alpha sector, according to this info."

"Alpha sector?" Tsubaki took a moment to think. "Brendan Bardell came to us from...Delta."

"Those two aren't that far off from one another. A few states, apparently."

"When you involve Aragami, even next door can seem like a world away." Tsubaki's voice was heavy. Sakaki cleared his throat, nodding in agreement.

"Well, pending what happened to the Delta sector, the other American sectors prepared themselves for the bitter end."

"It's good that she got out while she did." Tsubaki shook her head. "There's nothing left."

"Which is why I find her so...fascinating." Sakaki chortled.

"Doctor?" Tsubaki sounded cautious.

"She may have been a God Eater for a year, but she only has six months experience."

"Right," Tsubaki's voice et Sakaki know that she remembered Kiria's file. "After she witnessed her friend die in front of her, she lost the will to fight."

"And apparently, she lost her friend to a Vajra..." Sakaki looked away from his screen. His face contorted as he remembered something, then he turned his grinning face to Tsubaki. "That's why you swapped the missions for Lindow's and Soma's squads."

Tsubaki showed no signs of recognition, prompting Sakaki to continue. "You were worried that it was too soon for Kiria to face a Vajra again, so you had Lindow, Sakuya, Kota and X go after it instead." Sakaki continued typing. "How very considerate of you."

"It was a professional decision." Tsubaki finally voiced her viewpoint. "She's still new and we didn't need both of our new New-Types needing regular mental check-ups." Some seconds of silence passed. "And she needed to interact with the other members of her unit."

"No need to explain yourself." Sakaki gave her a hand wave. "But...it wouldn't hurt to let the God Eaters know you care."

Before Tsubaki could respond Sakaki let out a small cheer. "It seems her stats have improved since joining, and it has yet to be a week since her arrival." Sakaki laughed jovially. "If this is how she reacts when resuming daily training, then imagine what kind of potential she has!"

"Speaking of training and recruits, pull up Alissa's file." Tsubaki didn't wait for the Doctor to comply; she reached over and began typing away on the keyboard.

"H-hey!" Sakaki complained but to no avail. He let out a sigh. "You don't see me writing all over your clipboard..."

"What was that, Doctor?" Tsubaki's voice was sharp.

"N-nothing, nothing!" Sakaki rendered himself mute. He then saw what Tsubaki was doing on the terminal. He adjusted his glasses on his face and leaned in closer. "Incredible! You're multiplying-"

"I know what I'm doing." Tsubaki cut him off. "I'm just using data we already have and multiplying it by two then cross comparing the results between Alissa and Kiria."

"But to do that with one hand!" Sakaki pointed to the clipboard in Tsubaki's right hand. "That's definitely a neat trick."

"A neat trick?" Tsubaki repeated, sounding irritated.

"I'll just...watch for now." Sakaki's smile became a nervous one.

"You do that..." Tsubaki worked for a few more moments. "There. Judging by these calculations, they should both be as powerful as sub-leaders within two months."

"Judging from their attention to detail, Kiria's past experiences and Alissa's stellar score in virtual combat, I'd give them a month and a half."

"Still," Tsubaki sounded as though she didn't like being one-upped. "That's significantly less time than any other previously recorded God Eater. Particularly the first generation God Eaters." Sakaki noticed Tsubaki glance at the bracelet in the reflection of the screen.

"If these new God Eaters neglect the teachings of the first generation God Eaters, they won't make it past a week." Sakaki spoke bluntly.

"Doctor..." Tsubaki chuckled. "You're still no good at giving compliments."

"A simple 'why thank you, Doctor Sakaki' would have also been accepted." Sakaki shot Tsubaki a smile. A sudden beep from his terminal drew Sakaki's attention. "Odd..."

"What is it?" Tsubaki asked, leaning in over Sakaki. Sakaki felt Tsubkai on his shoulder but had grown accustomed to it.

"There appears to be a bit of an anomaly in Kinaia's data."

"An anomaly?" Tsubaki sounded concerned.

"Oh, never mind. I misread that line." Sakaki clicked on a line of text.

"It says "Kinaia Tsumi is able to fight for a prolonged period without tiring." Where, and what, did you misread?" Tsubaki inquired.

"I thought the word 'tiring' was something else." Sakaki spoke dismissively.

"Like?" Tsubaki asked, curious.

"Tigrex, or something." Sakaki removed and cleaned his glasses. "There was a spot on my glasses that made the words look smudged. It's nothing worth mentioning."

"Alright then." Tsubaki let her voice trail. "Anything else you'd like to comment on about Kinaia?"

"Hmm..." Sakaki extended his hand to Tsubaki. "May I see your notes on Kinaia?" Tsubaki, who was already on the page, handed the clipboard to Sakaki.

"As I suspected."

"Would you just explain yourself instead of finishing your thoughts out loud?"

"Ah, sorry. While all of our God Eaters are more than capable fo doing their duties, it would seem that Kinaia's statistics resemble those of a New-Type more than the other Old-Types."

"Is that a possibly anomaly?" Tsubaki asked seriously.

Sakaki shook his head. "It's true that we test all of our God Eaters the same, but there are a few key factors that are only applicable to New-Types, such as the shift in synching when a God Arc's form is being changed, or how their oracle intake/consumption rate is-"

"But Kinaia is an Old-Type, so she shouldn't be showing those traits."

"She isn't." Sakaki then spoke with gusto. "She can't. But, based on her in-battle stress levels and these documentation Licca has made on her God Arc, Kinaia's maximum output is very, _very _similar to that of our New-Types."

"Could such a thing be caused by proximity? She was recruited not too long after Private X07, and to date, she's the only Old-Type to have had prolonged contact with all three of the New-Types."

Sakaki placed a hand to his chin. "We'll keep an eye on Kinaia's stress levels for now. For all we know, she could be harboring some form of trauma that wasn't documented."

"Who isn't harboring some form of undocumented trauma in this line of work?" Tsubaki spoke darkly.

"True..." Sakaki sighed. "It has to be hard to deal with being a God Eater on top of being a functioning member of a dying society." Sakaki then added: "Half of which behaves as though _you _are the threat to humanity."

"And at that age as well..." Tsubaki sighed, remembering her own tough times from her past days as a God Eater.

"It's cruel really," Sakaki piped up. "I mean, they're teenagers, so their hormones are already out of balance. So what do we do? Give them more hormones, enzymes and injections that are easily _one hundred _times more unstable than the ones they already have to deal with..."

"When did you become such the humanitarian, Doctor?"

"Around the same time as the Aragami." Sakaki joked.

"You do know that joke was atrocious, right?" Tsubaki was far from amused.

"Humanitarian? Vegetarian? I for one thought it was clever. Insensitive, but clever."

"Please stay on track, Dr. Sakaki..." Tsubaki sighed.

"Of course, Tsubaki." Sakaki spoke formerly. "We'll keep an eye on Kinaia and Kota."

"Kota Fujiki?" Tsubaki then understood. "He's an Old-Type God Eater like Kinaia. If something from the New-Types is rubbing off on Old-Types, Kota should document the same traits since he's been around X07 almost since day one."

"Precisely." Sakaki then brought up X's information. "Speaking of the Private...has he gone on any solo missions?"

"Not at all." Tsubkai answered immediately without looking at her clipboard. "Do you believe this to be a factor in all this?"

"It's too early for me too assume anything." Sakaki began. "But I'm comparing X07's current stats to when he first joined."

"You noticed it as well?" Tsubaki remarked.

"Yes. And to be honest, this is the main reason why I've asked for you to come here today."

"It is quite troublesome..." Tsubaki sighed.

"Perhaps..." Sakaki droned.

"You...you think he's doing this intentionally?"

"So you came to the same conclusion I did, Tsubaki?" Sakaki smiled.

"Why else would have X07's statistics remained constant after almost three months of being a God Eater?" Tsubaki sounded convinced they had identified the reason behind X's apparent lack of experience and improvement.

"Let's approach this logically." Sakaki leaned back, prompting Tsubaki to stand up straight. "According to the records, even prior to becoming a God Eater X was in good physical condition."

"Well, he had been a part of that experiment involving ninety nine other potential candidates." Tsubkai referred to his biography found in the Norn database.

Sakaki shook his head. "Even before that."

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow behind Sakaki's head. "You know something about him I don't."

Sakaki became silent. "Off the record?"

"Off the record." Tsubaki confirmed,

"Yes, yes I do." Sakaki looked at her with a smile. "And sorry, but I have no intentions of sharing, either."

Tsubaki returned a smiled to Sakaki. "I'm not surprised."

"Then moving on," Sakaki looked back at the image of X on screen. "He boasted high stats when first instated. His stats were higher than the recruits, which taking into account that... 'special experiment'" Tsubaki picked up Sakaki's hidden message. "Only makes sense. But even now, with the recruits gaining experience at unprecedented levels, his stats are still higher than theirs. And by a very noticable amount."

"The recruits have only been on two missions, one of which was only a few minutes since their target may as well have been dead before their arrival."

"And their other target, Tsubaki?"

"The Borg Camlann at the Fallen Carrier that knocked Private X07 over the edge. The Borg that X07 stated in his report was 'a bit stronger than the typical Borg, but still no issue.'" Tsubaki then noticed Sakaki's reflection in the computer screen, and the look in his eye.

"Even if it were stronger than average, with his marks, and the combined might of the team, the Borg should have been, and was, defeated." Tsubaki spoke definitively.

"X is indeed the focal point, Tsubaki, but think not of his skill as a God Eater, but of his influence as a God Eater. And a New-Type at that."

It then registered in Tsubaki's mind. "You're saying that X is directly responsible for the unheard of increase in the recruit's capacity as God Eaters?"

"You said it yourself. In a sense, they've only been on one mission, yet they'll be making the rank of Private in a month and a half."

Tsubaki and Sakaki fell silent.

"X became a Private in a month, due to his stats. And now, because of those same stats, and whatever it is radiating between them, you're saying that the New-Types around him will also make leaps and bounds in power..." Tsubaki leaned over and stared at X's information on screen. She looked into the face of the full-body hologram of X. "Remarkable..."

"Now the questions we have to ask ourselves are as follows:

Is X holding back his potential? And if so, why? And further more, is he still gaining power while maintaining his current levels?

Is this connection between New-Type God Eaters an effect of being a New-Type, or is it because of X who just so _happens _to be a New-Type?

Judging by Kinaia Tsumi's recent output, I'd day it's the second possibility. But that just opens new questions, such as is there something special about her, or will _all _God Eaters gain some form of boon after prolonged exposure to X? But if it's a combination of the two, like my scientific instinct is telling me, would New-Types benefit more from said boon?

And finally, if there _is _some sort of benefit from going on missions with X, just how dramatic of an increase will a God Eater receive? And more exciting, how much more boosted would a God Eater become should X choose to release his potential?"

After a long period of debating silence, Tsubaki finally said "I now see why this meeting was so urgent."

"Meeting?" Sakaki inquired. "What meeting? If I'm not mistaken, you were going through your notes in your office this entire time." Sakaki pressed a key on his terminal and the image of Tsubaki at her desk on the executive level popped up next to X's information.

"Recycled footage." Tsubaki saw through it instantly.

"Let's hope Johannes isn't as adept at seeing through my ruses as you are." Sakaki then laughed. "A false hope, indeed."

"So," Tsubaki decided to return to the topic at hand. "How do we coax X into unveiling more of that potential he's possibly hiding?"

Sakaki sighed and reclined all the way in his seat., stretching his legs. "That...is a factor we have no control over, sadly." He let out a yawn and returned to his upright position. "All we can do is observe for the moment. Just gaze at the stars..."

Tsubaki noticed the finality in Sakaki's tone. "Doctor...there's one thing I'd like to ask."

"Off the record?" Sakaki asked, although he knew the answer.

"Private X07... if this trait that causes those around him to get stronger is real, could it somehow be connected to Sector X07 and the incident that happened there?"

Sakaki suddenly sprang out of his seat. "Sector X07! Of course!" He turned around and in a rather rare show of gratitude, bowed to Tsubaki.

"You have a band of genetically enhanced and rather impatient God Eaters to attend to." Sakaki whipped around and pressed a key on his terminal. The image of the joint squad gathered in the lobby came up on screen.

"It isn't like Tsubaki to be late..." Sakuya's voice was clear as day.

"Hey..." Kota clearly whispered, through the terminal, it sounded like he was speaking at normal level. "Anyone else feel like we're being watched?"

"He's surprisingly inept, isn't he?" Sakaki's eyebrows rose with his smile. He then noticed Kota visibly shiver. "Anyway, you shouldn't over work yourself, Adviser Amamiya, especially when you have a tight schedule to keep."

Sakaki then held up a disk. "Thanks for dropping off your data on the God Eaters. You can run along now." Tsubaki gave the Doctor one final sidelong look before stepping out of his room. Before the door closed, she had this to say:

"Chess is a game meant for two players, Doctor. Yet, one has to wonder why there is a third king on the board." The door slid closed and Sakaki listened to Tsubaki's heels clack down the hall. Sakaki then looked back at live camera feed from the lobby.

"A third king?" Sakaki let out a chuckle. "While you are a woman of many amazing traits, being cryptic is not one-" Sakaki stopped himself when he looked back at X's data.

"A third king... very clever, Tsubaki."

_Whoo! A particularly short chapter (fifteen pages compared to my usual...twenty minimum?) but one that was chock full of content! Also, we got to see some of the characters who haven't gotten much screen time as of late. Expect that trend to carry on in the next few chapters, people!_

_Man oh man... the words in this chapter nearly made my head spin – but in a good way! Onto writing part three of 'A Tooth For A Tooth!' Is this the final part? Who knows?! I know I don't! But, I DO finally have a method of interlocking the plots, and it was mentioned in this chapter. Leave those reviews, people, and let's see if you can track it down! And you guys already know that I'm more than happy to chat with everyone._

_Stay frosty, everyone! _

_Xen Kenshin_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Don't Run Away**_

_Still don't know if this'll be 'A Tooth For A Tooth's' last chapter. Currently, August tenth, 2013 at 5:53am Eastern Standard time, I'm thinking there will be four, maybe even **five **parts to this chapter. This idea is probably gonna change..._

_Moving on: Haven't given out any cookies as of late... Nor has anyone mentioned the...what, two? Three? References made in the previous chapter names..._

_Foreword ago-go!_

_Well, that previous chapter was chatty, but very, very deep in terms of content. I've said that already, right? Any who, here comes yet another exciting installment of Don't Run Away!_

**Chapter 14 – Beauty And The Beast/A Tooth For A Tooth (Part 3)**

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Tsubaki spoke from the top of the stairs. She looked around the room with a slight grimace. "Where is Private Tsumi?"

"A Quadriga was spotted along the perimeter of the outter ghetto. She left with the Defense Unit to neutralize it, seeing as how she's now an official member." X explained. Everyone looked up at X with a form of subdued shock.

He was the first person to speak. X hardly ever spoke – let alone during meetings.

"I see. Well then," Tsubaki made her way downstairs. "I guess it can't be helped." She checked her clipboard.

"Kiria, Soma and Kota." The three mentioned people looked up at Tsubaki. "The three of you will be heading to the City of Mercy to see if you can track down our Vajra. That particular species is well known in that area. Soma will be the acting leader of the group."

"I can handle this on my own, you know..." Soma voiced his unpleasantness.

"While I do not doubt your skill Sergent," Tsubaki looked directly at Soma first, then looked around at everyone else. "I'd prefer it if every team had a medic, a gunner and a blade user."

Kota looked around the room and counted. "But...there are only seven of us." He then recounted on his fingers, adding Kinaia into the equation. "Even with eight people, there'd only be two groups of three..."

"Sakuya, Lindow and Alissa." Tsubaki spoke over Kota, nearly giving the Old-Type gunner a heart attack. "Your team will be headed to the Fallen Carrier. Vajras aren't exactly scarce in that area."

"Understood." Lindow waved at Tsubaki. Although he did not say anything else, Tsubaki could clearly read the 'big sis' expression written on his face. Tsubaki gave Lindow a scolding glare.

Tsubaki's eyes then fell onto X. "You are to report to Doctor Sakaki's laboratory immediately. He will then issue you your orders once he's through with you."

Soma, who was standing near the mission departure elevator stepped up. "But he gets to go on a mission alone?"

"Oh be quiet," Tsubaki's tone caught everyone off guard. "You sound like a jealous child."

Soma's mouth hung open for a second. So did Kota's, only his mouth dropped further at Soma's comment.

"Some Den mother you are."

Tsubaki clearly had a retort, but chose not to say anything. "Are your orders understood, Pricate X07?" X nodded and made his way to the stairs.

"And one more thing, Private." X stopped at Tsubaki's side. "This little grudge you have against me for getting on your tardiness needs to end."

"So you noticed?" X spoke in a slightly amused tone.

"You made it painfully obvious." Tsubaki's voice sounded dryly amused as well.

X continued to the floor elevator. "The rest of you, go get ready for your missions. You have helicopters awaiting your departure."

* * *

"Ah, hey there New-Type! You arrived -"

"Cut the chit chat, Doctor." X interrupted.

"You know," Sakaki lifted his smiling face to X. "That is the second time today someone's cut me off like that."

X lifted an eyebrow but did not press the matter. What drew his attention, however, was the black Sniper Suit hanging on the wall behind Dr. Sakaki.

"Oh, so you've noticed your new outfit?"

"Doesn't look very new." X noticed a few frayed strands of thread.

"I made it myself, so the quality isn't exactly superb." Sakaki then made eye contact with X. Well, as good eye contact two people could make when one person had their eyes closed and the other wore sunglasses. "But consider it a gift!"

"What did you do to it?" X wasted no time and spoke bluntly.

"Am I really that transparent?!" Sakaki sounded generally confused, perhaps even upset.

"You're a scientist." X spat back. "It's only natural for you to experiment. Sometimes, regardless of the cost."

X sincerely hoped that he was seeing things, because he thought he saw Sakaki _stop smiling_.

"My," Sakaki's grin was omnipresent on his face. "It's amazing that for as large our vocabulary is, everyone seems to be saying the same thing today."

X shifted his weight between his feet. "You mind explaining yourself, and not just finishing thoughts out loud?"

"See?" Sakaki nearly exploded. "There it goes again!"

"Doctor, focus!" X nearly snarled.

"My my, such a temper..." Sakaki then gestured to the Sniper suit behind him. "It's been outfitted with microchips, nannites and a ton of other scientific babble you're probably not interested in. It's intent is to record your stress levels during your very first solo mission."

"So Soma was right..." X muttered.

"Yup!" Sakaki replied ecstatically. He then felt the way X looked at him change. "Or at least," Sakaki's voice sounded uneasy. "So I would assume."

"I wouldn't put it past you to have cameras all over the place."

"Off the record?" Sakaki began, his voice mischievous.

X was bewildered at first, but then nodded.

"That's top secret information." Sakaki's smile became a Cheshire grin. "And I don't plan on sharing." Sakaki then paused. "Now I'm doing it, too."

"I'm not wearing your pheromone suit." X objected rashly.

"It tracks more than just pheromones." Sakaki stated matter of fact-ly.

"Let me guess. Pheromones, testosterone levels since I'm male, anxiety, heart rate. Maybe there's even a little chip in there that can pinpoint my position as well?"

Sakaki fell silent for only a second. "Those late nights with Licca have been paying off, Private."

X didn't respond.

"Hmm...a touchy subject for you?" Sakaki then looked to the ceiling.

"Whatever it is you're about to say isn't going to be written up there." X spoke after a few odd moments of silence form the Doctor.

"How is your relationship with fellow God Eater Kanon Daiba?" Sakaki's voice was suddenly serious.

X felt his body tense up instinctively. "Just making small talk, Doctor?"

"Temperamental _and _defensive." Sakaki almost taunted.

"Your question was awfully specific for just idle prattling, Sakaki." X was clearly aggravated.

"Then never mind the question, X." Sakaki then waved his hand dismissively. "Just pretend I never asked it."

"Done." X then recalled the overall topic. "I'm not wearing your suit." X turned around. He heard Sakaki's chair squeak and he whipped around quickly -

Only to lean back when Sakaki was invading his personal space. Which was very small now, due to proximity.

'(How the hell is he so damn fast?!)' X though to himself. '(A scientist should only be able to clear a room at that speed if there's a chance of a chemical explosion!)'

"I'll be frank with you, Private X07, since you strike me as the type of person who doesn't like it when people beat around the bush."

Sakaki drew closer to X, if that were even possible.

"You've been holding back, and we both know that. So, Tsubaki is putting you on a solo mission to test your mettle. Now, I've had this suit for a while now, and this is the perfect opportunity for us to test it out." Although his face did not change, X felt a certain... sense of lethality emanating off of the good Doctor. "Put it on."

"Make me." X shot back without hesitation.

"You have no idea how happy that statement made me."

His eyes still closed, Sakaki's smile widened. If he had blinked, he would have missed X ducking under his arm and darting across the room to the Sniper Suit.

"You win this round." X growled. "But only because your happy-go-lucky demeanor creeps me the hell out."

"A shame, really." Sakaki sounded victorious. "I had been hoping some of my traits would rub off on you."

"Doctor," X began, unbuttoning his shirt. "After that last comment, you mentioning rubbing or any other form of physical contact is...discomforting."

"I guess I can see that." Sakaki kept his back to X. He heard X throw clothing on his chair. "Done changing already?"

"Yeah." X walked behind Sakaki, adjusting his shirt and pants sleeves.

"So, what's my mission?"

* * *

"No Vajras around here." Kota surmised as the trio wandered the City of Mercy.

"Don't let your guard down." Soma reminded Kota.

"I won't, I won't." Kota watched the areas he knew most large Aragami frequented.

"Besides," Kiria now spoke up. "There may be a different Aragami around here."

"You're not patronizing me, too, are you Kinaia?" Kota sounded worried.

"Shh." Soma stopped walking and raised his hand up. "Hear that?"

"Hear what?" Kota looked around.

"Tch..." Soma sounded very agitated.

"Wait..." Kiria looked to their right. Their current position was at the center of the City of Mercy, and now all three God Eaters looked beyond the dilapidated building that was a dead end. "Movement and growling."

"Ogretails." Soma readied his God Arc. "Stay out of this." Soma rushed forward on his own.

"Soma, wait!" Kota called out, running after him. He nearly fell back when Kiria grabbed him by the shoulder. "What are you doing?!"

"We've got company." Kiria pointed to the bend that led from the center of the city to what may have been a storage facility.

Two Ogretails stepped from behind the wall.

"Wait a – why is one red and the other one yellow?!" Kota gasped, taking aim.

"Those are Vajratails!" Kiria shifted her Arc to gun form. "The red one is a blaze attribute and the yellow one is a spark attribute."

"How do you know that?" Kota asked, preparing a freeze-type bullet.

"They existed on the American continent." Kiria then glared at Kota. "And I do my homework." Kota had no response. "What bullet are you using?"

"Freeze."

"Then I'll use Divine."

"Divine?" Kota asked, watching as the Vajratails crept meticulously closer to them. "Why not Blaze?"

"Spark Vajratails are only weak to Divine. Fire!" Kiria ordered.

"But...aren't we using Freeze and Divine-"

"I mean fire your _weapon_ Kota!" Kiria was already unloading shots.

"What about Soma?" Kota looked over his shoulder to find Soma engaged in battle with three Ogretails that were black and dark blue in color. "Don't tell me there are Freeze-type Ogretails, too!"

* * *

"Don't tell me there are Freeze-type Kongous, too!" Alissa jumped back from the Aragami as Lindow advanced from behind.

"You're lookin' at it!" Lindow swung his God Arc in a wide circle. "Sakuya, aim for the-"

"I know, I know! Aim for the pipes!" Sakuya spoke as she fired off Blaze-type lasers.

"Recruit," Lindow spoke as he hopped back from the Kongou's body slam and the tremor it caused. "Wasn't there something you New-Types could do with special bullets?!"

Alissa remembered her mission at the Fallen Carrier. She and Kiria had 'eaten' from the Borg successively in order to supply Kota with Aragami Bullets and put him in Link Burst Mode so that his God Arc's self-repair functions would be bolstered.

"Understood!" Alissa approached the downed Kongou. She stood in front of its face and triggered the devouring process on her God Arc. "Release the God Arc!" She chambered the bullets she received from the Polar Kongou. Alissa then turned her attention to Sakuya.

"Alissa, move!" Lindow's voice urged her forward. Alissa felt a gust of wind ripple through her hair. She glanced over her shoulder to find the Kongou finish a spin on its feet; the unorthodox attack would have undoubtedly caused some serious damage.

Alissa put some room between herself and the Aragami, shifting her God Arc to its gun form during the process. "Here!" She fired the three bullets to Sakuya.

"Let's go!" Sakuya commanded as she and Alissa unleashed a barrage of bullets at the Kongou. Lindow's eyes widened for only a second before he dodged the flurry of red lasers and shots.

"A little warning, next time?!" Lindow complained, regrouping with the gunners.

"You're fine." Sakuya joked as she continued the assault with her sniper gun.

"Heads up, guys!" Lindow looked to his left towards the fallen air carrier that closed off the other side of the bridge. From the gaping hole in its side, a second Polar Kongou leaped down and let out a roar before heading towards the trio.

"I sure hope the others are having better luck than us..." Lindow spoke under his breath before heading towards the new enemy...

* * *

"Status report, Feit."

"Wow, no time wasted, Leader!" Feit laughed manically.

"Feit, now is _not _the time for this," Leader's voice was bordering sheer rage.

"I agree," Feit suddenly became serious. "I don't like it when people kill my fun."

"Who gives a damn about your fun, I'm worried about Silver!" Leader yelled through the cracked terminal.

The room was dark, save the dim glow from the terminal itself. Feit sat in front of it with a straitjacket on his torso. He wore tight, black, spandex pants but was otherwise barefoot. His short black hair was unkempt and there were several scratches on his face.

"I am, too," Feit's tone was rebellious. "He's my fun, and he's going to die."

Leader fell silent.

"Boss?" Feit's voice held concern.

"Is the Vajra that powerful?" Leader's voice was low and contemplative.

"If Silver's not careful, yeah." Feit held no punches.

"And now," Leader nearly sounded hesitant. "Since you're not there to control it?"

"He's as dead as a door-nail." Feit spoke bluntly.

"-me!" Even though the first word was cut off by static from the terminal, Feit, as well as anyone with half a brain, could tell that Leader cursed.

Feit looked down at the straitjacket. "Leader," Feit began.

"Not in the mood, Feit..." Leader grumbled.

"Know how to get out of a straitjacket?" Feit asked without any consideration to Leader's previous comment.

"...What?!"

"I'm in a straitjacket. I want out." Feit then sounded sad. "My butt is itchy..."

"How the hell did you..." Leader trailed off. "No way..."

"Yes way!" Feit objected. "It's like this weird tingle -"

"Not your butt, the jacket!"

"Oh. Yeah. Totally didn't put this thing on myself."

"I figured as much, Feit." Leader sighed, then took a few minutes to think. "Your feet are free, right?"

"Already out!" Feit stood up and stretched. He then proceeded to scratch his behind. "Man, that is the _spot!_"

"Feit." Leader's voice was demanding. "Fix this."

"Can't." Feit shrugged at the cracked screen.

"And why not?!" Leader yelled.

"I'm locked down here." Feit sighed. "Not even any rations... inconsiderate little..."

"You'll be fine." Leader had apparently gotten a second wind. "If things go as I expect them to, then you'll be getting out of there shortly."

"Define shortly, because I didn't pee before coming down here." Feit sat down in a meditative pose.

"Anywhere between three hours to two days." Leader spoke definitively.

"Oh..." Feit trailed off. "That's short."

"So, Feit," Leader began, his voice hostile. "Exactly _how _were you caught off guard?"

"I was attacked while sleeping." Feit spoke nonchalantly.

"By?"

"An unknown assailant."

"And they knew the codes to your dugout?" Leader sounded suspicious.

"Go figure, huh?" Feit laughed.

"Are you pulling another one of your experiments, Feit?" Leader asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Yes." Feit didn't even bother to lie.

Leader hummed on the other line.

"Will you be keeping me company, Leader?" Feit asked in a childish manner.

"..."

"Come on~!" Feit begged.

"Fine." Leader caved. "What do you want to do?"

"I spy with my little eye..." Feit began.

"Not this again!" Leader groaned, clearly at wits end with this game.

"It's either this, or tic-tac-toe!" Feit almost sounded like he were making a threat.

"Eye Spy it is." Leader's voice held zero humor. He then added "I remember what happened last time..."

Feit then laughed hysterically. "You think Silver forgave me?"

"Did he forgive _me _for punishing him for wandering away from camp when I specifically told him not to?"

"Point taken." Feit then began with glee. "I spy with my little eye, something that begins with-"

"Terminal."

"Dang it, Leader, let me at least say the letter!"

* * *

X was currently on the Wailing Plains, finishing his fifth lap. He had already hit all of the known salvage points in his first survey of the land, and that was twenty minutes ago.

"This is pointless." X murmured to himself. "I should just call in for an extraction..." However, X's instincts went against his words. This was X's sixth time encircling the Wailing Plains and he was the only sign of life in the area. X could feel the hairs on the back of his neck and arms stand on end and his heart rate was higher than usual. Things he was sure that the Doc's suit would be picking up and relaying back to his computer for data compilation.

But it was these things that let X know he wasn't alone...

X made his way back to area A, the drop and extraction point, and stared up at the small section of bridge. He went into his pocket to retrieve his communicator and call for the helicopter to come pick him up.

X felt a sudden surge of energy and an all too familiar sensation rush down his spine.

X pocketed his communicator and turned around. The odd sensation directed X to look up at the section of the broken bridge jutting out of the twister in the center of the Wailing Plains. There was a lone silhouette standing on the bridge, perched at the very edge and leaning over staring right back down at X. Slowly, X's eyes focused on the dark figure. With a sudden loud **bang **and a flash of lightning originating from the center of the vortex, the silhouette's form was revealed.

Both X's jaw and sunglasses dropped to the ground.

The figure leaped off of the bridge and landed in front of X. Now illuminated, X could see the figure as plain as day – and now he knew that he wasn't hallucinating.

She was about the same height as X. She had short chestnut hair cut into a crop top. Her skin was extremely dark, reminiscent of overcooked clay and her only visible eye was a dark, maroon red. Her left eye was covered by a black eye-patch with a white circle on it. She wore a long, black dress that was a bit tattered and white leggings that stopped at a mid-point on her calves. She looked to X and then flashed him a big smile.

"Silver!" Her voice betrayed her well developed, womanly body. She sounded like a prepubescent girl. "You really are alive!"

"..." X remained silent and slack-jawed.

"Silver, you do recognize me," The girl's happy tone was slowly becoming somber. "Right?"

X shook his head; not to deny their affiliation, but in disbelief.

"Silver," The girl sounded hurt. "It's me!" She placed her hands to her chest. Her eyebrow raised and she looked down at her chest. She then laughed and looked back at X. "I guess I have grown up a bit since you last saw me, huh?"

Her laugh cut through X's shock and helped him regain his senses. "A bit?" He let out a chuckle. "You're huge."

The girl's cheeks became painfully red and she covered her chest. "Silver!" She scolded, although her voice sounded more embarrassed than anything.

"No," X clarified. "I mean you've grown _up._ The last time I saw you, you were only this high." X placed his hand to his knee."

"Y-yeah," the girl's blush did not settle down. "A lot can happen in three years."

X then recalled the last three years of his life. "Yeah," X then recalled the past few months of his life. "A lot can happen in a month as well..."

The girl looked at the God Arc in X's hand. "Looks like it." X followed her gaze. "So, you're a God Eater now?" X didn't respond. There was no need to. "A dog of Fenrir..."

"The Fenrir baby went back home..." X spoke lowly, almost sadly.

"Your home was with us!" She blurted out. X's gaze turned sharp, and the girl covered her mouth, trying to pull the words she had said back in. X stared at her for a moment. Something inside of him shifted and he began to speak again, his voice gentle.

"You've been with them this whole time, right?" The girl made no response, her hands still on her mouth. "Have they been treating you well?" The girl visibly hesitated, but nodded. X's tone then became judgmental. "Then what's with the eye-patch?"

The girl moved her hands from her mouth to her eye. "It's..."

"It's?" X pushed the matter.

"It's a fashion accessory..." The girl offered feebly.

"That's the most pathetic lie I've ever heard." The girl's hands dropped to her side. "And that's saying something, especially since it's you."

The girl gave a sad smile. "You always knew when I was lying."

"You were so bad at it." X chuckled. "Still are."

"So..." The girl touched the eye patch nervously. "You know?"

X nodded, his expression and voice now grim. "He put his hands on you."

"..." The girl's hand moved from her eye-patch to her shoulder as nervousness overtook her.

"How did Leader take it?" X asked, sounding suspicious.

"He..." She became quite for a second. X thought a lie was coming. "He doesn't know."

X sensed she was telling the truth. "How could he not know?"

"We've disbanded, Silver. Our group is no more." X could hear the defeat in her voice.

"...what?" X almost didn't believe her although she wasn't lying.

"Not too long after you left, everyone began losing faith in our Leader. They figured if you, our best fighter, could just up and leave our worthy cause, then it wasn't a cause worth fighting for."

X's eyes widened. "But...he should have been able to convince them to stay." The girl's eye shimmered as she heard the remorse in X's voice as he looked at the ground. "Leader always said he could have talked a penguin into flying." As an after thought X added "Whatever a penguin is."

"He probably could have," The girl bit her lower lip; she wasn't supposed to be talking to him. "If he were still around..." She wasn't even supposed to be here!

X's eyes shot up at her. "If he were still around?" X repeated. He then remembered that he found his Leader's knife in his former home in sector X07. "Is...is Leader dead?"

The girl closed her eye and turned her head away from X. "I...I don't know..."

"How do you not know?" X asked, taking a few steps towards her. X stopped and looked down; he had nearly crushed his sunglasses...

"About two years ago, Leader just... left. After that, even our most devoted followers fled and well, I haven't seen him since."

"So then," X's stomach began to irritate him as a thought came into his mind. "The old hideout..."

"Abandoned." She watched as X crouched down and picked something up.

"And the founding members?" X probed further.

"Well," The girl looked back at X. "Leader left, you left, I know two others committed suicide -"

"Suicide?!" X shouted. "Wasn't that against our beliefs?"

X noticed the girl's eye gain a hopeful gleam. "You said 'our beliefs', Silver. Do you still-"

"I was speaking in the past tense." X cut her off coldly.

"O-oh..." She then gave a sad laugh. "Makes sense..."

X's tone then became very serious. "Who have you been staying with?"

The girl stiffened up. "Silver, I have to go-" Slowly, that feeling dawned on her again...

"Answer my question." X demanded.

The girl turned away from him and bent down. She jumped – and then fell back to the ground. Amazed, she looked over her shoulder and found X tightly gripping her arm.

"Answer." X's grip tightened. "My. Question."

"Silver, you're hurting me!" The girl whined. She looked up at X's eye's and didn't think that he cared. "I've been staying with Feit." X released her arm immediately, his stomach doing a back flip upon hearing her answer. "But that was only for a little while -"

"How long?" X demanded, his stomach still uneasy.

"Silver, it wasn't for long-"

"For how long, Charm?!" X roared, calling the girl's name.

The girl gasped, scared by X's sudden outburst. X released her, but was it out of...guilt? She then curled into herself, holding her knees close to her body. "Two years. I ran away six months ago, and I've been on my own since." She pointed to the eye-patch. "I ran away after he did this to me." That feeling was becoming more and more intense...

X stood over Charm for a moment, watching as she slowly began sobbing. He could tell she had been holding back tears, but did not know for how long. Minutes? Weeks? Years? He took a few steps away from her, unsure of what his next course of action should be.

"Go ahead!" Charm yelled at his back, causing X to stop. "Go ahead and leave me just like you did three years ago! Leave, and make everyone else I ever cared about leave, too!" A truly agonized look on his face, X lifted his God Arc and stabbed it into the ground. He turned back to her and bent over, offering his hand.

Charm sensed him nearby, and looked up at his hand. "Silver..." She took his hand, and he helped her stand up. X noticed that her face had began turning red again. "You...you look the same." Charm stammered.

"Am I not supposed to?" He asked, genuinely confused.

"No!" Charm blurted out. "I mean, yes, but..." She took a moment to think to herself. "Leader told me you changed, and because you changed...you left. But you look the same, so you couldn't have changed too much."

For a moment, they just stood there, looking at one another's faces. X lifted his hands, and unbuttoned the top of his shirt. Lost, Charm watched as X worked his way down his shirt. It wasn't until his shirt was nearly unbuttoned that Charm took a step back.

"Silver, what are you-" She stopped when he opened his shirt and revealed his chest to her. She placed a hand over her mouth to stop the scream, and a tear welled up in her eye.

"If I had known that leaving would have caused you to end up in Feit's hands..." X watched as Charm raised her left hand towards him. "I would have considered staying." Charm placed a hand on his chest and traced the diagonal scar the traveled from his collar bone to his hip bone. She then lifted her hand and traced the second scar that was equally long. She rested her hand at the center of his chest where the two scars intersected. "At the time, I didn't know what else to do...so I just ran. I ran away, Charm, I didn't leave. I was a scared child and I did what any other scared child would have done."

Charm looked between the scar on his chest and the blank look on his face. "I...I had no idea..."

X gently placed his hand on the strap of her eye-patch. "Neither did I." X looked Charm in her good eye. "You're just on your own now?" X recalled what he had to do to survive when he was alone.

Charm wrapped her arms around X's torso in a tearful hug as the feeling became unbearably strong. "I'm so glad I got to see you again." Shocked by the sudden hug, X felt at a loss. He also felt his stomach acting up as memories from his past began to flood his mind. One particular thing stood out now; years ago, when he and Charm were still in their Leader's care, X would place his hand atop her head to console her. It was a small gesture, but it had worked every time in the past. Hesitation slowing him, X placed his hand atop Charm's head once more, and he heard the girl let out a gasp. Clearly, she, too, remembered this.

"Big brother..."

Charm felt X's muscles contract. She felt his hand grip her head as he yanked her away from his body by the hair. Charm yelled as she fell to the ground.

"Don't call me that." X snarled at her viciously. "I am _not_ your brother, and you are _not_ my sister."

To X's shock, Charm began to laugh, her voice erratic and broken. "Are you _still_ going off about that?" Charm stood up, stumbling a bit. "So what if Leader's my brother by blood? You're the one I see as a brother!"

"I have no family," X spat back. His voice was unnerved, but the sudden shift in Charm's behavior threw him. Just how far had Feit gone this time?

"You're so hooked on being a loner, and for what reason? Do you think that makes you cool?" Charm's voice gradually became unstable.

"I hate loners." X countered.

"Hypocrisy." Charm sneered. X shrugged. Charm's distorted face turned into one of disgust. "You really have changed. The Silver I knew had a heart."

"I don't go by Silver anymore." X spoke matter of fact-ly. "Whatever heart you knew of died along with 'Silver' a long, long time ago." For a second, Charm had a mixed look on her face; betrayed, curious, sad, but that was all replaced by a smile that caused a shiver to go down X's spine.

"It doesn't matter what you go by, _Private X07_." X's eyes narrowed at the harshness in her insane tone, not to mention the fact that she knew his name and rank was unnerving. "You're Silver, and you're one of us." Charm's smile vanished and she placed her hand over her heart. A serene look washed over her. "It really was good to see you again, Silver," her voice sounded normal again. "And I sincerely hope this isn't the last time we see each other."

Now X was at a total loss. "What are you talking about? And why are you behaving like you have two personal- Feit." X concluded swiftly. Charm bent her legs; X noticed this and ran towards her. He reached her too late; she was already airborne and that odd smile was back on her face.

Charm landed on the bridge and gave X a wave. "Have fun with him!" She turned around, and jumped into the vortex. X stared up at were he saw Charm's shape vanish.

"Have fun with him?" X uttered, bewildered. It was then X felt warm breath all over his body. Caught off guard, X pivoted on his heel and came face to face with a pair of large tusks. Taking a few steps back, X's brain registered that he was standing in front of a Vajra. X gripped his fist – only to find that he was not holding his God Arc.

He looked from his empty hand to the Vajra. It was only now that X realized that this Vajra was easily two, maybe three, times the size of a normal Vajra. The Aragami growled at X, staring him up and down. X calmly went into his pocket and retrieved his sunglasses. He placed them over his eyes and shot a glance at his God Arc behind the Vajra.

"I hope the others are having better luck than I am..."

* * *

"How many of these damn things are there?!" Kota yelled, stepping over the recently destroyed husk of a Fallen Ogretail.

"Quit complaining," Soma let out a grunt as he swung his God Arc. "And keep shooting!"

"This looks bad..." Kiria sucked her teeth as her gun clicked. "Empty." She reverted her God Arc to blade form and begun attacking the nearest Vajratail.

"We can't stay surrounded like this!" Soma shouted over the sound of Kota's gunfire. "You," he drew Kota's attention. "Give us an exit!"

"Easier said than done!" Kota took aim ahead of Kiria. "Look out!" Kiria sidestepped just as a barrage of blaze bullets spewed from the barrel of Kota's gun.

"Move!" Soma directed the team to the opening in the circle of Aragami. The Tail Aragami rushed to move in, almost as if they knew their prey were trying to escape.

"Oh no you don't!" Soma jumped up and brought his massive blade down on two Aragami. The sudden attack caused several others to hastily take a few steps back. Kota and Kiria slipped out of the circle and turned back to Soma.

There were already three yellow Vajratails filling in the opening Soma made.

"Kota!" Kiria shifted her God Arc to gun form and shot the gunner with an Aragami Bullet. She then aimed at the Vajratails.

"Kiria, behind us!" Kiria looked behind her to find Zygotes of four different colors homing in on them.

"Impossible!" Kiria turned her attention to rescuing Soma. "It's like they're planning this!" Kiria opened fire on the spark Vajratails. "Let's get Soma and retreat!"

"Agreed!" Kota also began firing, keeping an eye on the approaching Zygotes. Together, Kota and Kiria managed to take out a Vajratails. That was all the room Soma needed. With one giant swing of his God Arc, the other two Vajratails were pushed aside like yesterday's trash. Kota let out a whistle at the sight; a glowing Soma in Burst Mode came running out of the middle with three types of Tail Aragami right behind him.

"Make it to the extraction – Zygotes!" Soma's expression of shock gave Kiria the instinctive urge to dodge. She followed it, diving to her left towards Kota. A mist of blue smoke gathered around where she had been standing seconds ago.

"Stun out!" Kota yelled, throwing the stun grenade to the ground. Kiria covered her eyes as Soma tilted his head so his hood could block the sudden flash of light. Several Aragami let out cries, letting the God Eaters know the action was successful.

"Let's move. Now!" Soma directed his team to the extraction point. A few of the Zygotes weren't affected by the stun grenades either due to distance or they were simply looking away. Kota and Kiria shot them down as Soma took care of any Ogre or Vajratails in the immediate way.

Kiria got an odd sensation and glanced over her shoulder as they once again crossed the center of the city. "Wait..."

"What do you mean wait?" Kota huffed as Kiria slowed down. "H-hey, why are you stopping?!"

"We've been running for a few minutes," Soma had stopped as well. "Yet, they're not following us."

"This obviously means we lost them." Kota wanted to keep moving, although catching his breath wasn't a bad idea. "I say we take this stroke of luck and run with it. Run with it really, really fast."

"Open your eyes," Soma berated. "These aren't your typical Aragami." He shifted his hood so that he could look around their area more. "These bastards planned their battle tactics."

"Not to mention they managed their forces." Kiria also scanned their position for any threats. "They waited until we were fatigued, then prepared status ailments to finish the job."

"Finish the...you two are crazy!" Kota yelled, growing panicked. "Aragami can't think intelligently."

"And neither can you!" Soma's comment shut Kota up. "Look." He pointed to the sky with his God Arc. The Zygotes that had just arrived we flying off into the air in an odd formation.

"Are they coming for us?" Kota asked dropping lower to the ground.

Kiria shook her head. "They're going in the opposite direction. Like _they're _the ones retreating."

"So...we won?" Kota was now utterly flabbergasted.

"No..." Soma sounded angry. "They must have gotten what they came for..."

Kota felt as though someone were dangling a secret over his head. "And that would be?" Soma shook his head. Kota looked to Kiria who then shrugged. "Great...great."

_**Page Break**_

"What do you mean they were after something?" Alissa asked Lindow. Lindow sighed, and lit a cigarette as he stared out at the open sky. "I honestly don't have a clue as to what you're getting at!" Alissa, feeling that she'd get no response from Lindow turned to Sakuya. Sakuya also heaved a heavy breath. Alissa couldn't blame her; defeating six Polar Kongous was no easy feat.

"Their actions were a bit too..." Sakuya took a minute to think of the right word. "Organized."

"Okay," Alissa didn't sound convinced. "Perhaps the Kongous that attacked later on _were _a bit more...difficult than the earlier ones, but I'm sure that's because we were getting tired-"

"Tell me, recruit," Alissa nearly jumped at Lindow's voice. "Did you learn anything about Kongous during your simulations?"

Alissa looked at the back of Lindow's head, an annoyed resignation displayed on her face. "Just that they are Aragami that are quick to become enraged."

Lindow exhaled a puff of cigarette smoke. "And what would you expect from a group of angry monkeys?" His question seemed nonsensical, but his voice let Alissa know he was serious.

"Well...a ton of chaos."

"Elaborate." Lindow spoke in between puffs.

"Destroyed surroundings. Loud howling. Actions in disarray."

"What was that last one, recruit?" Lindow doted.

"Actions in disarray?"

"And what was the word Sakuya used to describe our simian friends?"

"Organized." The realization snapped to Alissa. "Oh!"

"Exactly." Lindow spoke with a smile, his back still to Alissa. "We were just their entertainment."

"Pretty observant of you, Lindow." Sakuya spoke up. She followed Lindow's gaze towards the approaching helicopter.

"Hmm..." Lindow flicked his cigarette into the ocean. He looked to his left; from their high altitude, Lindow could see well over the fallen carrier that closed off the bridge. Beyond it, he could see the seventh and eighth Polar Kongous they had been fighting limping away in a hasty retreat. "I don't like it."

"What was that?" Sakuya's voice brought Lindow back to the real world. "You don't like what?"

Lindow turned to Sakuya with a smile. "Those two are going to run home and brag about how they beat us. I just know it." Lindow let out a hearty laugh.

"Why, that's utter nonsense!" Alissa spoke up, drawing Lindow and Sakuya's attention. "We suffered no casualties! All things considered, we managed to escape pretty unscathed." Alissa then looked directly at Lnidow. "We survived. Is that not your condition for victory?"

Lindow looked to Sakuya for a second with a smile on his face. "Looks like my words haven't falling on deaf ears." Sakuya shot him a smile. "Now if only our first New-Type were as eager to learn as this one."

"Oh," Sakuya began cheerfully. "I think he's improved over the months."

"Yeah," Lindow now looked back to Alissa. "While it's true that we're alive, we're still the ones who retreated first." Lindow looked back over at the escaping Kongous who were little more than dots on the horizon. "That gives those two just enough right to brag." Lindow stood up and stretched, lifting his God Arc high over his head.

"And that's just enough to piss me off." Lindow's voice was suddenly cold. Both Sakuya and Alissa were taken aback by the sudden shift in the Leader's usual happy tone. "Our ride's here, guys." Lindow's voice was back to normal. "Uh, I mean... our ride's here, ladies."

The God Eaters looked up at the approaching helicopter, staring unblinking as the wind from the propellers caused their hair and clothing to wave. As they walked towards the helicopter, Alissa suddenly remembered something.

"Speaking of the first New-Type," Sakuya and Lindow looked over their shoulders at Alissa. "Wasn't X given a solo mission today?"

_**Page Break**_

"Veeeeeery interesting..." Sakaki doted, typing away on his terminal. "Increased brain activity, most likely caused by some form of stimulus to the frontal lobe, no doubt due to recalling events from the past. A gentle incline in testosterone output? Is that the natural male instinct to protect, or the natural male desire for battle?"

Sakaki kept punching in commands, his grin growing evermore as the Sniper Suit X wore constantly fed his terminal information. "Hm?" Sakaki pondered. "He unbuttoned the shirt?" Sakaki let out a frustrated groan. "While this information is top quality, reading inbetween the lines is no where near as informative as seeing what's happening, as it happens!"

Sakaki's smile became wicked. "I'm sure Johannes has 'eyes in the sky', as som would say." Sakaki shifted his screen to the Den's main surveillance system. "If I know Johannes..." Sakaki muttered to himself. "...using the Den's core communication system as a relay...rebounding signals off of Anti-Aragami walls, even though he disproved of the idea publicly...transmitting visual feeds through the cameras and...ah-ha!"

His screen, at first grainy and static filled began to clear up and show the Wailing Plains. There was a border around the screen showing the camera's current battery life and displayed today's date: Thursday, June Sixth, 2071 15:26

"And since I know Johannes," Sakaki mused. "He probably already knew I'd be doing this." Sakaki laughed. "Always one step ahead of me, huh, old friend?" Sakaki continued to punch in commands. "So he has several cameras in the area? And here I though getting into the Den's camera system undetected was an achievement."

Sakaki stopped speaking to himself when he noticed something standing inert. "can this thing zoom in?" He tried a few commands, and sure enough, the screen began to zoom in on the object. "That's the young New-Type's God Arc," Sakaki referred to X's Tail Sword: Silver II.

"He isn't holding his God Arc, yet according to his vitals, he's engaged in battle, and with a very difficult-" Sakaki stopped when he saw a massive Vajra land a few feet off from X's God Arc. The Aragami planted its paws and looked as though it let out a massive roar. It then shook its frame, possibly trying to get something off of it. "That's odd behavior for a Vajra..." Sakaki then realized that the Vajra he was looking at must have been the one the joint squad was looking for.

"But the Private is still alive..." Sakaki spoke a portion of his thoughts. He then leaned forward towards the screen and let out a small laugh. As the Vajra continued to shake, he saw X holding onto its cape for dear life. "That's also odd behavior for a God Eater..." The Vajra jumped into the air, leaving the screen. Sakaki stayed still and suspenseful. He then noticed that X's God Arc was no longer planted in the ground.

The Vajra came crashing down on its side. Atop of it, X was withdrawing his God Arc and began slashing at the gaping wound. There was a beep and that drew Sakaki's eyes to the second window on his screen. "His signs are increasing..." Sakaki watched the green colored levels rising in the bars next to X's outline. "However they are no where near their current maximum."

X suddenly ceased attacking and jumped off fo the Vajra, deploying his shield. While on its side, the Vajra discharged a field of clearly visible and possibly lethal electricity. X was sent flying, but back flipped in the air and landed on his feet. No sooner had he landed, the Vajra was on its feet. "This may just be the perfect opponent for you, Private X07..." Sakaki watched with scientific curiosity.

X went into his pocket and retrieved an item. He quickly ingested it. Sakaki's eyes shifted to the window that displayed X's stats. "An O-Ampule." He then looked back, and found X was no longer on screen. However, from the left border of the screen came a barrage of blaze and freeze attribute bullets that hit the Vajra's cape and face. "Using ranged tactics to catch your breath?" Sakaki evaluated. "While you may be suppressing your true strength, it is comforting to see your skills are not hindered by your decision to remain so detatched."

X's shots seemed to have no effect on the Vajra as it continued to charge forward. "Aragami have no brain, no heart and not even spinal fluid." Sakaki paraphrased his quote from one of X's first lectures. His brows raised when he saw pieces of the Vajra's mane shatter. "He was aiming for its face intentionally. He's not just trying to defeat the Vajra, he's actually trying to unbound its Oracle Cells in the process and collect materials."

Sakaki chuckled. "Truly an interesting specimen." Sakaki cleaned his glasses. "All while limiting yourself. But why?" The Vajra posed as though it were roaring again, and even Sakaki could see the electricity mixed in with the beast's breath. "It's become enraged..."

The Vajra jumped and left the screen almost instantly. "It's speed is remarkable!"

_**Beep Beep Beep Beep**_

Sakaki recognized the sound; X's vitality was at an alarmingly low level. He had programmed the sound into his terminal just for this very purpose. "When a person's life is on the line, the body emits endorphins and adrenaline to compensate for the feeling of fatigue and provide an extra push to escape the harrowing situation. It's a survival skill all human beings are born with. But as a God Eater..."

Sakaki watched as X's combat levels began to rise. "He's been trained to know how to control those endorphins and keep a level head during situations in which normal people would panic." Sakaki's smile grew as he took note of X's level of panic remaining constant even though he was nearly incapacitated.

"Hm? His combat levels stopped rising along with the endorphins, yet he hasn't healed himself..." Typically, once the human body sensed it was no longer in a near-death situation, it would gradually decrease the endorphins released until the person calmed down completely. Yet, in X's case, the adrenal levels stopped abruptly even though he could still be very realistically killed.

"Unless he suffers from some form of hormonal deficiency, or chemical imbalance in his body, that shouldn't be!" Sakaki began typing in commands, just in case there was a bug in his programming. "No, everything is fine on my end..." Sakaki grimaced at the screen; "Just what is going through your head?"

X appeared on screen again, sliding backwards just as the Vajra threw its body at him with a tackle. X's white shirt was now stained with red blood. His left arm hung limp at his side and Sakaki noticed that most of X's weight was shifted on his right leg. Sakaki watched as every time X would try to go into his pocket, the Vajra would attack aggressively, almost as though it knew he were trying to recover his strength.

There was yet another beep, and Sakaki checked X's stats. He let out a gasp; "His stress levels are through the roof!" It then slowly dawned on Sakaki. "Perhaps he isn't intentionally holding back..." He watched as X now dove out of the way of a lightning ball hurled at him. "But maybe his potential is dwarfed by a mental or emotional trauma..." X raised his shield; the Vajra landed directly on top of him and roared in his face. Although Sakaki was not receiving audio from this transmission, he could tell by the expression on X's face and the increasing panic that X was yelling, most likely in fear or pain.

"Could that handicap on his potential be self-applied?" Sakaki typed into his terminal, his fingers moving at lightning speed. "Could X be _afraid _of his own potential?" On screen, Tsubaki's name and personal communicator number came up. She answered on the first ring.

"Tsubaki," Sakaki's voice was grim. "We have a situation..."

_I've decided. The next chapter will be the final part of 'A Tooth For A Tooth'. I considered wrapping this up now, but the chapter length would have easily been almost forty five pages. Besides, I've been releasing chapters every four or five days as of late and I'd like to keep this up. I can feel another break on the horizon after a particular turning point in the original canon that many of you have been anticipating._

_I'll be working on the final part as soon as I conclude these author's notes, so expect an update in a few days. I definitely don't want to make you guys wait too long for it. Leave a review, if you would be so kind, and stick around 'til the end!_

_Stay frosty, everyone!_


	15. Chapter 15

**Don't Run Away**

_Here we are, folks! The conclusion! For those of you who haven't been able to review for whatever reason, or even those of you who just want to do so, please leave a review expressing your thoughts and opinions of this segment in its entirety, mainly because this segment was a prelude to the two canons uniting to make DoRA what it is and what it will be!_

* * *

**Chapter 15 – What You Are In The Dark/A Tooth For A Tooth (Conclusion)**

"Hey, look," Kota pointed out of the helicopter window. "There's another chopper arriving!"

"It must be the others." Kiria observed.

"Soma remained silent as he stared out of the window.

"Cool," Kota spoke up, placing his arms behind his head. "It looks like we all finished at the same time." He then remembered how difficult their mission was. "You don't think..." Kota looked between Kiria and Soma.

"Maybe," Soma began. "That may be why there's only one other helicopter."

Kota's face contorted with confusion, but Kiria understood instantly.

"You think one of ours faced the..." She seemed to stumble with the word. "Vajra?"

Soma didn't show any signs of response.

"M-maybe," Kota tried to sound optimistic. "They're just now finishing up." He gave a nervous laugh. "I'm sure they'll radio in the moment we land."

Soma looked out of his window down at the helipad. He saw a number of Fenrir officials, including medical teams, awaiting the helicopters. He could easily make out Tsubaki's figure amid all of the uniformed people.

"Our Den Mother sure has a worried look on her face..." Soma's cold tone destroyed any optimism Kota had.

Meanwhile, on the other helicopter, Lindow also noticed Adviser Amamiya staring up at the two helicopters. "Something's wrong."

"Something like what?" Alissa questioned, looking at all of the people assembled on the helipad.

"It looks like we'll be going right back out." Sakuya spoke in a no nonsense tone.

"How can you two tell?" Alissa asked, lost.

"You see those medics?" Lindow pointed them out. "They'll check us out, and as long as we have no serious injuries, they'll say we're good for a back to back mission."

"Not to mention," Alissa turned her head to Sakuya. "Licca is there right next to Tsubaki. She's there to see if our God Arcs need any quick tune-ups."

"So...what you're saying is," Alissa took a moment to think. "There's a situation that requires our immediate attention?" Both Lindow and Sakuya nodded. "What kind of situation could that be?"

* * *

"Welcome back, God Eaters." Tsubaki spoke as the medical teams examined everyone. She looked them over, as well as the engineers inspecting the God Arcs. "As a few of you already know," She looked to Lindow, Soma and Sakuya specifically. "Seven of you were sent out on missions today, but there are only six of you here present."

Tsubaki saw the look of shock on Kota's face. "I won't waste anytime; Private X07 has encountered the Vajra your joint squad has been hunting."

There were a few gasps, but Tsubaki continued: "Dr. Sakaki and I had come to the agreement that Private X07 should perform this particular mission on his own. But, due to unforseen circumstances and some surveillance relayed to me by the Doctor, I've decided that the six of you will be re-deployed to go and retrieve Private X07."

Soma stepped forward. "You mean to tell me this was some experiment contrived by old man Sakaki?!" Soma was clearly upset and did not hesitate to show it. "You knew he wasn't ready for a Vajra, but you still sent X to his death?!"

"Sergeant Soma." Tsubaki's tone caught Soma by surprise. "We believe – no, we know, that Private X07 is still alive. However, it is believed that he is unable to make it to the extraction point on his own."

"Then why send six God Eaters?" Sakuya questioned, remaining calm although there was clearly stress in her tone.

"Because the target is still alive. We received a distress beacon from the Private. According to the signals from his armlet, and signals from a device given to him by Dr. Sakaki, his condition is critical and he needs immediate medical attention. Sending only one or two God Eaters to recover him would be foolish, as the Vajra is still in the area and is most likely hunting down X07."

"So you figured you'd send a team to neutralize it, as well as a two person team to bring him back alive." Lindow concluded.

"Correct, Corporal Amamiya." Tsubaki nodded in his direction.

"So, the Director really wants his New-Types to stay in on piece?" Lindow probed. "I bet he also agreed to the idea of sending the rookie out on his own?"

Tsubaki made no comment.

"Doesn't matter." Lindow turned around to his fellow God Eaters. "Listen up, guys. Our good pal X07 is in a tight spot. Survival is our number one priority, so we're going in there, grabbing him, and then getting our asses back home. Understood?"

"Roger!" Sakuya, Kota and Alissa shouted back. Soma merely hefted his God Arc onto his shoulder, causing the engineer examining it to shrink away slowly. Lindow then trained his eyes on Kiria. "You up for it, recruit?"

Kiria turned her gaze away from her God Arc to Lindow. "Yes sir!" Her voice sounded steady.

"Anyone who feels even the slightest bit tired or woozy shouldn't try to act tough." Lindow looked around. "And if you're scared, don't force yourself. We'll be facing a powerful foe, especially if it can put the rookie in a do or die situation. If you can't give this your all, don't tag along."

Lindow's veteran eyes observed every God Eater before him. His eyes fell to Kota. "Don't try to engage the enemy if it can be helped. Saving X07 is our one and only objective here. We can hunt that Vajra down later. Understood?"

Kota's voice was heard above the others. "Understood!"

"Good." Lindow looked back at Tsubaki. Licca was stepping to her side, wiping some lubricant from her hands with a dirty rag. "How are our comrades looking?"

"They're just as ready for the fight as you are, Lindow." Licca replied with gusto, referring to the God Arcs.

"Good." Lindow then gave Licca a smile. "I'll bring your signficant other back home alive."

"Lindow!" Licca yelled at him, slightly embarrassed. "He and I are not in a relationship!"

"Oh, sorry." Lindow retrieved his God Arc. "Let's move! Keep your headsets on channel three. We'll talk strategy as we travel! Alissa and Kiria, I want you two looking for your fellow New-Type. If we're lucky, whatever connection you guys share will help you track him down easier."

Alissa and Kiria looked at one another, clearly confused before facing Lindow. "Understood, sir!" They retrieved their God Arcs as well.

"Everyone else, with me. We'll hover around those two for a bit, but if we don't see our target we'll scout the area. If we don't find X07, or spot this Vajra in ten minutes, we'll regroup with the search team and all look for the rookie. Let's hope we find him in five."

Lindow turned to face Tsubaki. "Sound good to you?"

"Carry on." Tsubaki spoke with a confident smirk.

Lindow gave his sister a quick wave before catching up with the God Eaters who were already boarding the helicopters. Alissa and Kiria were in one helicopter while Lindow, Soma, Sakuya and Kota were in the other. They were all putting on their headsets as Fenrir workers moved away from the fuel tanks. Tsubaki watched as the propellers started up again and the helicopters took off.

"Hang on, X." Tsubaki spoke as the helicopters rose into the sky. "Your comrades are on their way..."

* * *

X's breathing had become shallow. He was also nearly out of Restore Pills, and he felt his head becoming fuzzier and fuzzier with every drop of blood rolling down his left arm and left leg. X, sitting down and leaning on his God Arc, removed his sunglasses.

"Still can't see..." His speech was slow and jumbled. He lifted his hand to the sky and looked up at the sunglasses in his hand. "It looks like..." He let out a dry cough. "I'll be dying just like you did..." He felt his right arm go numb. "Damn..."

His right arm dropped to his side. He didn't even feel the impact of it hitting the cold, hard ground. "I'm..." He let out a grunt. "I'm going to die..." Although he spoke it, the idea couldn't sink into X's head. "...can't..." he felt his heart beat slow down. "...go on..." X tried to draw in one more breath, but his body just lacked the strength...

"_...er..."_

"_...lver...!"_

"_Silver!"_

_With a low, guttural growl, a pair of platinum blue eyes slowly turned away from the weapons on the table they were focusing on. Standing behind him, was a young girl with short chestnut hair and dark skin like overcooked clay. She had dark, maroon colored eyes and a smile that was filled with innocence._

"_Big brother!"_

"_Hey," The one called 'Silver' snapped. "What did I tell you about calling me that?"_

_She only giggled. "You said not to do it, big brother."_

_Silver wrinkled his nose. "But you still do it anyway."_

"_Leader tells you not to wander away from the camp, but _**you **_do it anyway." She countered._

_'(I've been caught by a seven year old...)' Silver thought to himself. But there was no need for her to know that. "What do you want from me anyway?"_

"_I want to play!" She cheered._

"_No." Silver snapped again, annoyed, "I'm busy cleaning the weaponry."_

"_Aw, but come on, big-"_

"_I said stop calling me that!" He yelled, attracting the attention of the others._

_She only looked up at him, her eyes large and filled with tears. "But...why?"_

"_because I'm not your big brother. Our Leader is."_

"_But..."_

"_And you're not my little sister." I looked away from her, my eyes closed. "I don't have a little sister."_

_She remained silent. There were footsteps behind her. They both recognized them as their Leader's..._

"_Well, if it isn't my little sister and her new big brother!" Their Leader placed a hand on his younger sister's head. The little girl quickly pushed it off._

_Silver turned to him, his face red with rage. "Damn it all, you too?!"_

"_What?" Leader grinned. "We're all brothers and sisters here, Silver."_

_Silver snarled at him and threw down the weapons. "Maintenance is done. I'm out."_

"_Don't wander too far this time, okay Silver?"_

_Silver gritted his teeth as he walked away. So their Leader knew too..._

"_Why doesn't he want me to call him big brother, Leader?" Silver heard the girl ask._

"_Well, you see Charm," The Leader began, crouching down so he was eye level with his sister. Silver stopped, halfway out the door. "A few years back, back when Silver was... eight."_

"_I'll be eight in a few months!" The girl chirped._

"_Yes, yes you will." Leader let out a laugh. "You're growing up fast."_

"_Wait, how old is Silver now?"_

"_Uh...twelve. You're twelve, right, Silver?" Leader called out. Silver, who pressed his back against the open door, stayed quiet. Just because Leader knew he was still there, didn't mean that Silver had to confirm it..._

"_Silver's not here anymore..." Charm spoke dully._

"_Oh?" Leader laughed again. "I didn't hear the door close, so I thought he might still be hanging around." Before Charm could respond, Leader continued. "Back when he was eight, when we found Silver drifting all on his own. He looked terrible; his skin was dry and chapped, his hair was burnt in a few places and he was limping since one of his ankles were fractured. He was in pretty bad shape; not to mention he hadn't had a solid meal in days."_

"_Wow..." Charm was astounded._

"_Yeah," Leader's eyes had a very reminiscent look to them. "But, even with all that, one thing never changed about Silver."_

"_What was that?"_

"_His eyes." Leader spoke with a proud smile. "His eyes were that of a fighter's. And not just someone who would become skilled in combat, but the eyes of someone who would do whatever it took to survive."_

"_Eyes..." Charm repeated. "of someone who would do whatever it took to survive."_

"_Yup," Leader leaned forward. "Eyes just like your older brother."_

"_Do I have those eyes, too?" Charm asked, widening her eyes and her grin._

_Leader chuckled. "Nope."_

"_Then, what kind of eyes do I have?" Charm asked._

"_The eyes of someone who is very, very lucky, and makes those around just as lucky. That's why we call you Charm; you're our good luck charm."_

_Charm 'ohed' as though she understood, a childish smile on her face. She then asked "Will my eyes ever look like yours when I get older?"_

"_Let's hope not." Leader laughed loudly._

_Charm's smile became a frown in the blink of an eye. "What? Why not?"_

"_Because," Leader's tone of voice changed so suddenly, Silver's heart jumped. "You're no where near as dangerous as we are."_

_Charm was at a total loss. "Huh?" The young girl grasped her brother's tone meant something, but what, eluded her._

"_Charm, these eyes," He pointed to his eyes with his index and middle finger. "Are the eyes of a very, _**very**_ dangerous person. Doing whatever it takes to survive may sound great, or even cool at first," Leader trailed off, taking a second to think of how to word it. He looked over his shoulder at the open door to the armory._

"_But anyone with these eyes should be avoided at all costs. Anyone who is capable of surviving at any cost, will give up anything and everything to keep themselves alive. Never, and I mean _**never **_attach yourself to someone with eyes like mine."_

_Charm, literally scared stiff by her older brother – by her Leader's words, managed a short nod. "Not even me." Leader concluded. "And especially not Silver." Leader stood up and stretched. "Now go and play with the other children." Leader's voice was airy and sweet._

"_Okay!" Charm chirped, seemingly snapped out of whatever trance she had been in. The girl scurried out of the armory._

"_And how many times do I have to tell you kids; none of you are allowed to come into the armory! There are sharp, dangerous things in here that can cause some serious harm if you're not careful!" He yelled after his sister. "Man, kids these days." Leader turned to the door that Silver was still pressed up against._

"_Kids these days never listen or take anything to heart."_

X snorted from the dust in his nostrils as he woke up. He began coughing again, this time the violent cough was accompanied by speckles of blood on the back of the cloth wrapped around the left hand. It was a part of his Sniper Suit. X eyed the blood, and remembered the dream he had.

"_His eyes were that of a fighter's...the eyes of someone who would do whatever it took to survive."_

X lifted his right arm; he had feeling in it once more. He stared at the sunglasses for a moment. "I guess I should..." X felt his lungs tighten. Still, he continued to speak out loud. "Count myself lucky. Not everyone has what it takes to survive." X placed the sunglasses on his face.

"Sorry, Eric." X placed his right hand on the hilt of his God Arc. "You won't be getting your revenge on me anytime soon." X forced his weight onto his God Arc and struggled to stand. "You were weak, so I sacrificed you so that I could live." X let out a deep grunt as he finally managed to stand up.

"And if I die now, we'll meet too early in Hell. I'll die when you've gotten comfortable down there. Then I'll sacrifice you again." X placed his hand in his pocket and retrieved his last two Restore Pills. He placed one in his mouth and crushed the other in his right hand. He put his shoulder in the jagged rocks behind him and slowly rubbed the gel inside the pill on his injured arm. He felt the vitality surge through his veins, and after a few second, he could flex the fingers on his left hand.

X bit the pill in his mouth, catching the gel in his left palm. He then bent over and rubbed the gel on the still open gash on his left leg. Again, he felt the oracle cells in the Restore Pill bring feeling back into his limb. X stretched; he wasn't at a hundred percent, but he was definitely ready for his final bout with this Vajra.

"I could use a bit of your luck now, Charm." X laughed. He then put his right hand to his forehead. "The pain must be making me go crazy...I'm laughing too damn much."

"_Drowning yourself in laughter solves nothing." X's voice was cruel._

"_Neither does drowning yourself in silence." Kinaia's voice lost all sense of humor._

X shook his head. Why did Kinaia's words come back to him now? "Must be an adverse effect to applying Restore Pills to open wounds." X told himself.

"_You've been here for a few months and everyone seems to love you. Not to mention that your combat skill is much more developed than a typical Private's."_

"Now Kiria's voice, too?" X grabbed his God Arc and took a few shaky steps forward. He grew frustrated when he discovered that his arms lacked the strength to life his God Arc. He sighed, and dragged his God Arc away from the jagged rocks in the center of the Wailing Plains. He looked over his shoulder at the never ending twister. "Just...shut up."

X felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. "Huh... you found me rather quickly." X hobbled in a small circle to face the jagged rocks. "I only got a fifteen minute nap."

The Vajra X had been fighting leaped out from the center of the twister and perched itself atop the highest rock. It let out a roar that X loosely translated into either "Did you think this was over?"

The Vajra's front legs were ripped to sunders and bleeding. Its cape was in tatters and no longer fluttered in the wind. Its face sported several deep gashes and one of its eyes were missing. It, like X, was gravely injured and wouldn't last much longer.

And like X, this Vajra was ready for its final bout.

"You just gonna stand there and sing?" X muttered. He then shook his head for clarity. "I'm talking to an Aragami as though it understands me..." His head snapped up as he sensed movement. The Vajra leaped down from its perch and stared directly at X from its left eye. In his surreal state, Charm came to X's mind for multiple reasons...

"**RrrrrrrrAAAAaggggghh!"** The Vajra's roar bellowed louder than the twister behind it.

"RrrrrrrrAAAAaggggghh!" X mimicked its roar as he shouldered his God Arc.

The Vajra, seeming to accept X's challenge roared again, this time emitting electric jolts through and over its body. It re-focused on X, static mixed in with its breath.

"You're angry, huh?" X laughed, feeling his lungs constrict again. "You and me both, pal." The Vajra collided its hind legs and pounced towards X. Anticipating this, X slide to his left, then jumped to avoid the tremor of the heavy Aragami landing. While it may not have done serious damage, X knew that the would have been knocked off balance for a few seconds. And right now, every single second counted.

X shifted his God Arc to its gun form and fired three bullets. These were custom bullets he had made just for the Vajra while he was up working on upgrading his equipment. A Divine-type Radial bullet fired first for Crushing damage. This first shot was meant for the Vajra's head, which was great since X waited until the Vajra turned to face him to fire it.

Along with the radial, a Blaze-type scatter shot fired for close range piercing damage that had no particular target than the Vajra itself. And to top it off, there was a Freeze-type bullet that rotated to the right close to X as a last-ditch effort just in case the Vajra was a bit _too _close for comfort. Hopefully, should that bullet collide with the Vajra, it would flinch and give X some breathing room.

Perhaps his encounter with Charm had indeed given him the luck he needed, as the Vajra reeled back from the three shots. X wasted no time reverting his God Arc back to blade form and attacking the Vajra's already unbound legs. The Vajra planted its four feet and what was left of its cape bristled. X saw the signs, but couldn't react in time.

The Vajra discharged a strong electromagnetic pulse in the shape of a dome around it. X was caught in that dome and felt the electricity surge through his bones. He let out a hollow yell and fell to his knees. The Vajra also wasted no time and opened its mouth wide.

"_Will my eyes ever look like that?"_

Charm's words that day came back to X as he stared into the mouth of the beast.

"_Let's hope not." Leader laughed loudly._

X caught a glimpse of red gums among large, sharp, white teeth.

_Charm's smile became a frown in the blink of an eye. "What? Why not?"_

'(That's where its fang was! The back row!)' X's brain processed in a nanosecond.

"_Because," Leader's tone of voice changed so suddenly, Silver's heart jumped. "You're no where near as dangerous as we are."_

X raised his God Arc above his head and deployed his Inugami Shield. The Vajra's throat reverberated at the sudden impact, causing its roar to echo in X's ears.

_Charm was at a total loss. "Huh?" The young girl grasped her brother's tone meant something, but what that meaning was eluded her._

X now understood what his Leader was getting at as he stuck his right arm into the beast's mouth...

"_Charm, these eyes," He pointed to his eyes with his index and middle finger. "Are the eyes of a very, _**very**_ dangerous person."_

X groped around for a few milliseconds until he felt the gap between the Vajra's back teeth...

"_Doing whatever it takes to survive may sound great, or even cool at first," Leader trailed off, taking a second to think of how to word it. He looked over his shoulder at the open door to the armory._

With a loud roar of his own, X drove his hand fingers first into the Vajra's open gums. The Vajra let out a whimper and tried pulling away from X. Sensing this, X twisted his God Arc; with a sickening squirt, the hook of his Tail Sword: II cut into the Vajra's tongue and would not let go. And neither would X. He pushed his arm forward and down, gripping onto the root canal still in the Vajra's gums. X's roar grew as he then put his feet on the Aragami's lower jaw and pulled back with all of his might.

The Vajra howled as X went flying backwards, covered in blood and enamel, still gripping a portion of the Vajra's tooth base. The Vajra staggered back drunkenly, the pain of its fight with X taking a huge toll after such an effective yet unexpected attack. Now, more enraged than ever before, the Vajra charged X head on.

X raised his arms to deploy his shield – only to find that he was gripping root canal, not his God Arc. "Aw crap!" He crossed his arms, hoping to lessen the impact as the Vajra threw its body at him in a tackle. X was sent careening backwards, hitting the ground and rolling for a few yards. X pushed himself back onto his feet, letting out a groan. He stooped, and used his tongue to wiggle a now loose tooth.

He opened his mouth and gripped the loose canine. His face scrunched up with pain as he pulled out his tooth. With an odd smile, he showed it to the Vajra as though it were a trophy. "A tooth for a tooth, huh?" He placed the tooth in his pocket and discarded the Vajra's mouth mess to the ground.

"_But anyone with these eyes should be avoided at all costs."_

"Come on!" The air going through the new gap in X's teeth made him whistle a bit. "Like you said, we're not done here!" X taunted the mad Aragami. The Vajra, way more than just irritated, shook its head and spat X's God Arc to its side. X judged the distance and the speed of his opponent; he wouldn't be able to grab it without risking his life.

_Anyone who is capable of surviving at any cost, will give up anything and everything to keep themselves alive."_

The Vajra dashed forward, and so did X. The Vajra opened its mouth, and took a bite at X. X dropped his shoulder and his weight followed. He spun into an awkward dive, avoiding the Vajra's teeth, but colliding face first into the ground. He tasted dirt and blood as he pushed himself off of the ground and took off running towards his God Arc. His second step, and X felt his left leg go numb. His weight unsupported and balance disrupted so abruptly, X collapsed to the ground, just as the Vajra turned on its heels and doubled back for the Private.

"_Never, and I mean _**never **_attach yourself to someone with eyes like mine."_

The Vajra jumped up and landed on X, front paws first. X cried out in agony as he felt three, no four, of his ribs break. Blood shot out of his mouth like a fountain and his sunglasses went flying off of his face. The Vajra cocked its head back with its jowls gaping open. It seemed to take a second to stare at X, it's hot breath pouring over X's upper body like a waterfall. It's breath, and its blood.

For a second, X thought the Vajra was smiling.

_Charm, literally scared stiff by her older brother – by her Leader's words, managed a short nod._

The Vajra bit down. X raised his arm, and grabbed onto the Vajra's injured tongue at the last second. It stopped mid-bite, but not before its tusk pierced the right side of X's chest, and its front fangs dug into his forearm. X yelled, but it was stifled by both the Vajra's and his own blood collecting in the back of his throat. The Vajra tried to lift its head, but it was slowly losing strength. Still, it managed to lift X partially off of the ground, although he was still pinned up its front legs.

"_Not even me." Leader concluded._

X felt his right shoulder dislocate. He bit his lower lip, adding ont the blood gathering in his mouth. As the Vajra shifted its weight, X felt a fifth rib break, this one caused a splitting pain deep in his chest. '(My right lung is punctured...)' X's brain and vision began to go dim as the pain gradually became too much. '(I may not have specialized in medicine, but I've stabbed enough to know that feeling...)' To his surprise, X began to laugh. "That's what I've been doing to people?" He spoke to the Vajra as it continued to twist its head and his right arm. "Then maybe I deserve to die..."

It was then he saw the Vajra's jugular vein. X felt a sort of second wind overtake him. Although it hurt his lungs to the point of possibly making them explode, X inhaled deeply. He intentionally waited, holding that breath until the Vajra's eye was looking down on him. "But I'm not dying today!" X heard his forearm and elbow snap, but felt no pain. Now sitting upright as the Vajra gnawed on his broken arm, X had one clear shot. He took it.

X opened his mouth and sank his teeth into the Vajra's neck. His logic was as followed; God Eaters were injected with Oracle Cells in order to operate a God Arc. A God Arc and a God Eater shared the same Oracle Cells, which was why God Arcs rejected foreign Oracle Cells. A God Arc's Oracle Cells could disrupt the cohesion of an Aragami's Oracle Cells.

So, couldn't a God Eater's Oracle Cells, byproducts of their God Arc's Oracle Cells implanted in their nervous system and DNA, do the same thing?

"_And especially not Silver."_

The Vara released X's arm and bellowed deeply. It took a few steps back, climbing off of X and began scratching at its neck. Yet X held on, even as the Vajra's claws tore into his back, he continued to bite down until finally, after minutes of biting and swallowing blood that he know no longer knew of cared it belong to, he felt the Vajra's flesh cave in. Blood gushed out, and still X's teeth sank deeper and deeper into the Aragami's skin.

The Vajra, now desperate, began to flail about, swinging X around like a rag doll. X couldn't move either of his arms, but he managed to wrap his legs around the top joint of the Vajra's leg. Now that he couldn't be swung around so easily, the Vajra had no choice but to lie down and take the pain. Now, X knew, was a matter of who had the most desire to live. Private X07, the God Eater who was now taking the meaning of his job a bit too literally, or the Vajra left to him as a present by the young girl who was no doubt a pawn in his old group's game?

As X lay beneath the still breathing Vajra, the memory that had been spurring him on played in his head continuously. After a few moments of clarity, X remembered what his Leader had said to him a few moments before leaving the armory and recalling the last day he had ever seen his Leader, finally understood what the man had been telling him that day.

"_I know you heard me, Silver. I was speaking to you, not Charm. I'm serious about these eyes of ours. Never let anyone get attached to you, Silver. It's for their own good. Eyes like ours are much too vicious for everyone else in this world." Leader took a few steps towards the main doors._

"_But that means you're much more dangerous than I am, Silver, seeing as how I only have one of those dangerous eyes..."_

* * *

Pain. Yup, pain, and lots of it.

X opened his eyes and found himself staring at a ceiling. He had been in this room enough to recognize that ceiling instantly. He was in Sick Bay back at the Den.

"My...head..." X grumbled. "My...arm..."

"Your entire body." X tried to look over the the voice, but the full body cast he was in made moving extremely difficult. "You're lucky to be alive, Private X07."

X let out another groan, but not from pain. "You should have just let me die, Schicksal." X then put on a pensive expression. "On second thought, why don't _you _die instead?"

"Good to see your sense of humor escaped your first solo mission unscathed." Schicksal's tone was dry. "If only your body could have been so lucky."

"If I were really lucky..." X stopped. He couldn't think of a punchline. "How powerful are these drugs?"

"That's fifty percent pure morphine, combined with other medicines to help accelerate your natural recovery system, and the regeneration process of the Oracle Cells in your system." Schicksal soke highly. "You'll be back in fighting condition in no time."

"Tell the nurses to make it a double." X let out a haggard breath. "You being here is a pain in the-"

"As I was going to say, Private," Schicksal interrupted, sounding irritated. "You'll be happy to know that your mission was a complete success. The Vajra with which you fought...shall I say _tooth _and nail... has been neutralized."

"Damn right." X then felt around his mouth with his tongue. "Hey, they managed to save my tooth." X played with the still loose canine. "I was worried about that the most."

"I'm sure you were, Private." Schicksal said sarcastically. "I think you'd also be interested in knowing that the corpse of the Vajra you killed vanished seconds after it took its last breath."

"Isn't that normal?" X sounded uninterested.

"The typical degeneration rate for an Aragami is a few minutes, ten at most. Your rescue team arrived a projected three minutes after you lost consciousness, which is the same time your Vajra died."

"Rescue team?" X questioned.

"The six other God Eaters who were deployed shortly before your own mission began."

"Lindow and the others..." X huffed.

"Indeed. They were quite surprised to find the decaying Vajra atop your unmoving body. Kota Fujiki was the first one to rush to your aid."

"Standard procedure." X spoke hurriedly. He felt a sharp pain in his chest; his lungs were still healing...

"Perhaps," Schicksal sensed X's discomfort. "But he still went against the plan and was reprimanded by his teammates. They overlooked it because of their shared concern."

"Well, no one told them to fall in love with me..." X muttered.

"What was that?" Schicksal rose an eyebrow.

"I said we're done speaking here." X would have shooed Schicksal away if he could move his...anything. "I need my rest."

"Don't you want to know about the accelerent?" Schicksal gambled.

X remained silent. Schicksal took it as a cue to continue. "In order to make such a large Aragami decompose at such a rate, whoever messed with its structure implemented some form of protein or enzyme that speeds up the process by nearly four hundred percent."

"I thought the body was gone by the time the Calvary had arrived." Now it was X's turn to gamble.

"I had my team analyze the remains in your God Arc." After a beat, Schicksal added. "And your teeth. Rather...hmm, I'm actually at a loss for words, Private."

"Tatsumi always said it was a God Eater's job to eat. Guess I'm still working that out."

Schicksal let out a genuine laugh. "Very witty of you, Private."

"Thanks." X spoke, sounding sincere. "So, what does this accelerant or whatever have to do with me?"

"Do you know anyone with the knowledge and technology to create such a biochemical wonder?" Schicksal cut straight to the point.

"You." X's eyes were sharp as they locked onto Schicksal's.

Johannes' lips curved into a wicked smile. Even with all of the meds being pumped into him, X felt his stomach turn to goop.

"As I would have imagined..." Schicksal tapped the IV bag that hung next to X. "Get some much deserved rest, Private." Before X could retaliate, Schicksal was gone. Without warning, X felt a wave of weariness rush over him.

"Bastard..." X groaned, as he tried to fight the sleepiness. "Drugged my drugs..."

* * *

"Oh, so you are awake!" X, whose body cast now lacked head wrappings, turned his head to see Kota coming in the door.

"Yo!" Kota greeted him with a raised hand.

"Yo." X returned the greeting, turning his attention to the book in front of him. "Turn this page for me, will you?"

"Sure." Kota swiftly made his way to the bed and lifted the book from its stand. He couldn't help but notice the title. "The Art of War by Sun Tzu?" Kota read it aloud. "Brushing up on combat tactics?"

"Something like that." X replied. Kota could tell by the tone of X's voice, that X had no intention of sharing any details.

Kota turned the page and placed the book back down on the stand. Kota then rubbed his fingers together; why were the pages moist? "How do you feel?"

"Not a damned thing." X spoke blatantly. "Whatever it is they're giving me is killing my nervs. I feel nothing."

"Wow!" Kota then sported a coy smile. "Nothing new for you, though, right?"

X turned his head to Kota, giving the gunner a dangerous look. Kota felt a shiver go down his spine – it grew when X only looked away and focused his platinum blue eyes on the book before him. Kota gulped and decided to move onto a new topic.

"So, I told my sister about you.

X was silent, his eyes scanning the text.

"I made sure to tell her every detail about your fight with that Vajra. She thinks you're a super cool hero!"

"How could you tell her the details when you weren't there?" X nodded to the book.

Kota fell silent. He then noticed X nod at the book again, and got the hint. Kota sat at the chair beside X, and turned the page for him. "Well," Kota began, his voice uncertain. "I'm familiar with your fighting style and on top of that, I saw just how _badly _you kicked that Vajra's butt. I figured putting two and two together wasn't that hard."

"..." X contemplated asking. "So what did you tell her?" X looked at Kota, feigning expectation.

"I told her you climbed into the Vajra, and ripped it open from inside out!" Kota exclaimed loudly. He and X shared a vacant stare.

"That's all?" X turned his attention and head back to his book.

"Don't be so casual about it!" Kota scolded, standing up. He then let out a laugh and sat back down. "Hey, X,"

X heard the somber tone in Kota's voice. "Hm?"

"I'm glad that you're alive, buddy." Kota spoke, giving X a huge grin.

X looked Kota in the face for a few seconds, then turned his attention to the window. "You thought I was dead, didn't you?"

Kota shot out of his seat again. "Of course not!" His voice echoed in the room, and possibly down the hall. "I never doubted you for a second!" Kota then placed a hand to his chin. "Except for when we first got there and you had no pulse. I doubted you for about a nanosecond."

X snapped his head around to Kota. He found Kota giving him a grin larger than his face. "See what I did there?" Kota laughed.

"You're not funny, Kota." X looked back at his book.

"Oh, come on, you know that was clever."

"Nope." X spoke harshly. "If I had feelings, they'd be hurt."

"Oh, stop acting so dramatic!" Kota chuckled as he sat back down.

"Kota." X's tone caused Kota's smile to vanish. "Promise me something."

Kota nodded, prompting X to continue.

"No matter what happens, never stop fighting." X looked up, remembering the expression Charm had on her face when she saw him for the first time in years. "Got that?"

Kota nodded again. "I want to hear you say it, Kota."

Kota gulped, shocked by the conviction in X's voice. "I give you my word. No matter what happens, I'll never stop fighting."

"Even if you can't win. Even if you lose sight of whatever it is your goals are. Even if you can't raise your arms, or if every weapon available to you is busted." X gave Kota a heart-stopping grimace and continued. "Even if you **die. **Never stop fighting."

Kota felt his chest tighten. "Even if I d-die," Kota's voice cracked. "I'll never stop fighting."

"Do I have your word?" X asked, not letting up.

"You have my word." Kota spoke with bass in his voice.

A few seconds went past. Seconds crept into minutes, and soon seven minutes had gone by. Kota watched as the edge of X's mouth wrinkled and his eyes squinted. Slowly, Kota realized X was trying to hold in laughter. X began to laugh, rocking his neck back and forth as his laughter bellowed in Sick Bay.

"You should have seen the look on your face!" X's voice was strained with laughter. "And- and your voice? Price..." X couldn't finish his sentence, he was laughing so hard.

"You bastard!" Kota shot out of his seat. "You were yanking my chain!"

"Yup!" X was still hysterical.

"Don't be so..." Kota sighed in defeat. "I'll just chalk this one up to the meds. But still, a promise is a promise." X snickered some more and nodded to his book. "No." Kota spoke with spite in his voice. "Turn your own pages!"

X tried to shrug, but let out a grunt instead. Before Kota could reconsider, X bent his neck and used his tongue to turn the page. Kota then rubbed his fingers together again and a look of horror fell upon his face. "Aw, ew! You made me touch your spit?!"

"You could have said no." X was blase.

"That's it, I'm leaving. I hope you get cast rash!" Kota turned around and stormed out of the door.

X showed no signs of caring, and read three more pages of his book before Kota came barging in again.

"You're invited over to my place once you're all better. My mother and sister Nozomi would love to meet you."

"I'll be there." X spoke with no hesitation.

"R-really?" Kota was shocked. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." X reaffirmed.

Kota narrowed his eyes suspiciusly. X knew where this was going, so he nipped the question in its bud. "If I don't go, you'll just keep bugging me."

"You're darn right I will!" Kota shook his fist at X. He stood there, his head peeking through the door for a while. "Get better soon, alright?"

X only nodded, and looked back to his book. Kota slipped out fo the door, and X could hear him complaining about needing to wash his hands.

* * *

"And where do you think you're going" Alissa asked, hanging onto the door frame. She watched as X, shirtless and covered in sweat, was attempting to put on the white button up of his Sniper Coat. He looked over his shoulder at his fellow New-Type God Eater for only a second before resuming his task. "Don't ignore me!" Alissa was obviously offended.

"Then either shut up and help, or shut up and leave." X groaned, trying to get his left arm into the sleeve. However, the task was proving impossible since the cast did not allow him to bend his arm. He heard Alissa draw near and take the coat away from him.

"You shouldn't be up and about only after two day's rest. Your injuries are much too severe."

"Yeah well," X was clearly annoyed. "The injuries may heal, but I'll die of boredom if I don't do something exciting in the next ten minutes." X huffed and covered himself with the bed sheet.

"I suppose being confined to a bed for forty eight hours can take its toll on even the strongest of people..." Alissa sighed, and sat in the chair Kota had been in yesterday. "In that case, I'll keep you company for the time being."

"Whoop-de-doo," X sighed, maneuvering his leg cast under the bed sheet. "I get to party with the wet blanket."

"Did you call me a wet blanket again?!" Alissa shrieked.

"No," X spoke with a small smirk on his face. "This is the first time I've called you a wet blanket. That other time was merely an example."

Alissa's mouth opened while a very flustered expression was highlighted by a flush of red in her cheeks.

"Or would you prefer 'party pooper'?" X managed to keep a straight face.

"Ooh, you ungrateful little!" Alissa shot out of the chair, reminding X of Kota. "I'm leaving!"

"Alissa, wait!"

Alissa felt the angry storm in her subside.

"Look, I was just doing a bit of harmless teasing." X sighed, sounding remorseful. "I'm bored out of my mind, but that's no excuse to be inconsiderate towards your emotions."

Alissa'a already flushed cheeks darkened. "Wow," She sounded amazed. "That was awfully... outside of your character."

X pointed to the IV bag between himself and Alissa. "It's these dosages. I'm telling you; Fenrir is trying to make me a better person."

Alissa let out a short chortle. "Wouldn't that just be terrible?"

"Finally, someone who understands!" X intentionally missed her sarcasm.

Alissa sat back down, adjusting her skirt. "So..." She then felt at a loss. Just what would they talk about?

"Alissa..." The Russian girl picked up on X's cautious tone. "What color are your panties?"

A Fenrir nurse was walking down the hallway to room seven in order to attend to X. While it was visiting hours for the patients, Private X07's injuries required constant care. Quite frankly, the nurse was surprised that he had survived a broken left leg, a dislocated and broken left arm that had several puncture wounds nearly down to the bone, five broken ribs, three fractured ribs, a pierced lung, a ruptured spleen, a crushed pelvis, severe head trauma and a ripped out canine tooth found in his pocket.

But she was not nearly as consumed by shock by his injuries once she and the medical team working on him discovered he'd be making a complete and total recovery. Honestly, she thought that she'd be used to things around the Far East Branch by now...

As she stepped out of the elevator on one of the medical levels, she heard muffled screams coming from one of the rooms. Perhaps someone was being sedated? She carried onto room seven, slowly becoming more and more curious as to why the yells were becoming louder and much more clearer.

"...perverted...!"

"...can't breathe...!"

The nurse arrived in front of Private X07's room, and could clearly make out what she assumed was the Private's voice and that of another person, and a female at that. She looked down at her chart, and then up at the '07' plate above the door.

This was the right room...

The nurse let herself in and let out a mortified scream. Inside the room, she found a teenage girl mounted atop who she assumed was X07, trying to press a pillow into his face. The Private, still wearing two casts on his mending left arm and leg, was at a clear disadvantage as he could only use one had to try and fend off his attacker. His face was also swelling and bleeding in a few places, but oddly enough, there was a smile on his face.

"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Alissa yelled, still trying to smother X.

"It's the medicine, I tell you!" X pleaded for his life although he was in a fit of giggles. "It has me saying things I normally wouldn't!"

It looked as though neither had heard the nurse scream...

"Making fun of me is one thing!" Alissa now leaned her body weight forward. X's hand gave in and was now smothering his mouth. "But asking me _those _type of questions is just... unforgivable!"

"But..." X made a raspberry sound every time he spoke. "Fenrir knows your measurements, so why can't I?!"

"I'll have your head..." Alissa then continued shouting words in Russian.

After about fifteen minutes of the nurse trying to calm things down, Alissa finally realized what was happening.

"Oh-oh my!" Alissa pulled the pillow off of X's limp body. "X! X, are you alright?!" She placed her hands on his face and gently shook him. "X, answer me!"

X sucked in a deep breath, and his eyes fluttered open. "Ali...Alissa? Is that you?"

"Oh you're alive!" Alissa felt greatly relieved.

"Alissa..." X sounded weak.

"Yes?" Alissa sounded hopeful.

"Who's the pervert now?" X's eyes brightened and his face sported a huge, triumphant grin. Alissa deadpanned and looked down at how she was positioned atop X.

* * *

"So, she broke your good arm, huh?" Lindow laughed as he took another sip of beer.

X, now wearing three casts, let out a groan. "Shut it, Amamiya."

"Hey," Lindow snickered. "It's better that then being fired for sexual harassment."

"It's these damned sedatives!" X complained, gesturing to the IV bag with his head since he could no longer point.

"Sure it is..." Lindow put a hand on the bag and read it. "Whoa, this is some powerful stuff."

"See?!" X sounded manic. "You have to get this needle out of me!"

"Eh, then I'd get in trouble." Lindow sounded uncertain.

"I'll give you all my beer rations!" X tried to barter with him.

"You owe me those anyway for not snitching when you accessed high level files while you were still a rookie." Lindow then put down his can of beer. "Which reminds me, how _do _you get beer rations?"

"I asked for them, and as the first New-Type here, they made an exception." X sensed Lindow's follow-up question and beat him to the punch. "I saw you drinking some one day, and I got curious. The stuff's not the worst thing the techies have synthesized."

Lindow nodded to himself. "Still, drinking is bad. And so is smoking. You shouldn't be doing either of those things."

"You do _both _of those things." X spat.

"But we're not talking about me right now, are we?" Lindow spoke with finality. X pressed his lips into a straight line and looked away. "Alright then."

"Lindow." X spoke up after Lindow had gotten himself comfortable in the chair. "You said 'back when I was a rookie'. Does this mean you acknowledge my promotion?"

"I'll admit, you've done pretty well, even with that suped up Vajra." Lindow then smiled to X. "But you've still got a ways to go before you're no longer a rookie in my eyes."

"And the recruits?"

"Not even on my radar." Lindow then added with a smirk. "Yet."

X nodded to himself, drifting off into his own mind.

"Getting drowsy, Rookie?" Lindow asked as he watched X's eyelids flutter. "Must be all the energy being burned from healing." Lindow looked at the table beside the bed. There were X's sunglasses that he picked up deftly. "These'll block the light for you. Get some shut eye, Rookie."

X said something, but his vice was too low and jumbled.

"Sure, Rookie, sure." Lindow whispered as he made his way out of the door.

* * *

"Come in." The door slid open, and X lifted an eyebrow as Kanon stepped in.

"sorry to intrude." She squeaked.

"No, it's fine." X gestured to the seat with his left arm.

"Oh, I see your injuries are nearly healed." Kanon smiled as she took a seat. "That's good." She then spied the sling on his right arm.

"Yeah," X lifted his right shoulder, putting his right arm in the sling at a better angle for Kanon to see. "This injury was separate from the Vajra,' X remembered the arm lock Alissa put him in; he'd have to keep that technique in mind. "But it'll be back to normal by tomorrow."

"Oh," Kanon was understandably curious. "That's good to know."

"What brings you here?" X asked, curious himself.

"Actually, that's the thing..." Kanon looked around as though she suspected they were being watched. "Doctor Sakaki tracked me down and said that I should pay you a visit." X noticed Kanon visibly shudder. "He came out of no where, and was inches away from my face."

"That's Sakaki, alright." X recalled how the Doctor behaved before his first solo mission.

"He said," Kanon cleared her throat and X assumed that she was trying to impersonate Sakaki's voice. "The presence of friends can help accelerate one's recovery, especially when said friends share a bond like the one between you and our New-Type friend. Besides, you're a medic yourself. Perhaps you could do a bit of checking up on X07 yourself an help...improve his recovery rate?"

X shuddered at how uncanny Kanon's impersonation was. While she may not have sounded anything like Sakaki, she definitely got his speaking mannerisms down to a tee.

"Do you have any idea what he's talking about, X?" Kanon asked, the blank expression letting X know Kanon was truly clueless. Then again, it wasn't like he knew anything either -

"Actually," X began. Kanon looked at him, anticipating some for of explanation. "I know what Sakaki was getting at." Kanon tilted her head, watching X expectantly. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"Uh," Kanon placed her index finger to her chin and looked into space. X had already recalled the memory himself.

"Oh! When you first joined and were heading for your medical checkup." X nodded.

"I kind of brushed you off and might have come off as rude."

"No, not at all!" Kanon smiled. "I figured you didn't want to be late to your medical checkup like I was!" Her smile vanished and was replaced by beads of sweat. "I-I didn't say that out loud, did I?"

"Say what outloud?" X decided to spare her the embarassment.

"N-nothing!" Kanon laughed, although X felt the appreciation radiating off of her. "But yeah, I didn't take it personally." Kanon then added with a thoughtful tone "What does that have to do with Dr. Sakaki?"

"Well, somehow..." X then grew serious. "Somehow, he knew that you reminded me of a..." X stopped himself and thought for a moment. Kanon could tell by the look on his face that he was struggling with something. "Remind me of someone who attached them self to me a few years ago."

Even though his sunglasses hid his eyes, Kanon knew there was a sad look in them.

"Her name was Charm, and the way you behave was pretty much the same way she did when she was a child." X then added. "Not saying you're childish. Innocent is a better word."

"Oh, so that's what he was getting at..." Kanon laughed. "Was that all it was?" She pretended to wipe sweat off of her brow. "I thought that you didn't like me."

X shrugged. "That's it."

"What a relief." Kanon then asked. "Have you seen your friend-" "She noticed the way X flinched at the word. "Uhm, have you seen Charm since...whenever?"

"Yeah," X let his voice hang. "Not too long ago, actually." Again, X felt the incoming follow up question. "She's doing okay, but I don't think things will work out between us." He recalled how they had parted ways years ago, not to mention her recent episode with the Vajra.

"Oh no," Kanon sounded depressed. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." X spoke automatically. He then felt a gear shift in his head. He knew _exactly _who was at fault here...

"But..." Kanaon sniffed. "You and your girl friend aren't on speaking terms..."

X mistook Kanon's meaning. "She wasn't my girlfriend, Kanon. We weren't dating."

Kanon then blushed. "No, no, I meant girl. Friend. A friend who's a girl. Not...girlfriend..." She then put her hands in her face. "Ah, I'm sorry."

"I get it now." X wanted to move on. "It's okay."

There was an odd silence between the.

"Uhm, X...?"

Hm?" X didn't like the feeling in his gut.

"H-have you heard that rumor about you and Licca?"

"Lindow's going around calling us boyfriend and girlfriend, isn't he?"

"So you have heard!" Kanon sounded surprised.

"It isn't true." X waved his hand dismissively. "I'm sure Licca says the same thing."

Kanon nodded. She then looked away with a much deeper blush on her face.

"What?" X narrowed his eyes, although Kanon couldn't see them.

"Well, you two may not date, but everyone else is convinced you two would be cute together."

"...cute?" X mimed, at a loss.

Kanon nodded. She then closed her eyes and fists tightly and nearly shouted. "And I'm one of those people, and I think that you and Licca should give it a shot! You're both really nice people and deserve to be happy together!"

X's mouth hung open as Kanon caught her breath.

"I-I'm sorry..." She stammered. "I know it's not my place, but I've been wanting to tell you that for days now."

Still, X stared at Kanon, his mouth ajar.

"Uh...X?"

"..." He closed his mouth. "Days?" X let out a laugh. "Then, why not tell Licca this?" X kind of pulled away from Kanon because of the look she gave him.

"Call me old fashioned," Kanon sounded like she were scolding X. "But I believe it should be the guy's duty to tell a girl he's interested in her."

"But I'm not interested in Licca." X spoke bluntly. The face Kanon made made X think he just crushed her world in the palm of his hand.

"You're not very good at this, are you, X?" Kanon asked.

"Good at what?" X sounded defensive.

"Tell me, do you like spending time with Licca?" Kanon probed.

X nodded.

"Do you two have good conversations that go on for hours and hours?"

"Sometimes days..." X spoke and instantly regretted his words.

"Do you think Licca is pretty?"

X felt an odd and unfamiliar type of tension ride on this question. His stomach flip-flopped. "She's not..." X innately knew that a lot was riding on his answer. "Not pretty?"

Kanon sighed. "Oh boy...we're going to have a lot of work on our hands..."

"Work?" X questioned. His face then wrinkled. "We?"

* * *

It had been six days since X's encounter with the Vajra. Due to his hospitalization, the joint squad had held off on filing their report of the investigation. However, duties and responsibilities of a God Eater could never truly wait, so as the other members of the joint unit carried on with day to day life, the responsibility of filing that report fell onto X's fully recovered shoulders.

"Besides," Everyone had came to the same agreement and Lindow was passing along the message to X as he cleared the beer out of X's fridge. "Since you still can't go on any missions until tomorrow we figured writing up a report would stop you from going bored."

"Gee, thanks..." X spoke through gritted teeth.

"And besides, you're the one who took out that thing on your own, so none of us have no idea how to even start that report." Lindow shifted all of X's beer rations into one arm and patted X on the shoulder with his free hand. "Get used to paper work, Rookie. It comes in triplicate when you're given solo missions."

So, X spent that entire day writing his report. In the end, X chalked up his fight with the Vajra as an 'eye opening experience that demonstrated just how strong a God Eater must be, and how much stronger they must become in order to protect mankind.'

What happened with Charm conveniently slipped his mind as he wrote the report.

After filing his report, and going through physical and weapon clinics, Private X07 was re-instated for combat on Thursday, June Thirteenth, 2071...

* * *

"Ah, Adviser Amamiya!" Sakaki smiled as she entered the laboratory.

"Let's skip the greetings, Doctor." Sakaki's smile did not wane. "We nearly cost Private X07 his life. Let's hope this data you collected was worth it."

"Seeing as how the young Private's power almost exceeded Corporal Amamiya's, I'd say that forcing him to tread the fine line between life and death was the perfect catalyst."

Tsubaki's face became set in stone. "Are you saying that X is currently stronger than Lindow?"

Sakaki gave Tsubaki a bone chilling grin, his teeth glistening. "I'm saying that X just might have the potential to be stronger than _any other God Eater that ever existed..._"

* * *

_Phew! Well, that was a heck of a segment, wasn't it? I don't know about you guys, but I know that I'll be re-reading these past four chapters in their entirety so that they feel more cohesive, and to make sure no major details went over my head,_

_Anyway, we're approaching a major turning point in the fic. Those of you who are familiar with the game probably know which turning point that is – so don't spoil anything! And besides, I think I've been doing a pretty good job of keeping things original enough so that by this point, even though a few of you know _**what **_to expect, you probably don't know _**how **_to expect it. And yes, I'm tooting my own horn a little._

_I know these past few chapters have been pretty close together in update time, but that's because I kind of pushed myself to get this segment complete. The next segment is right around the corner; get ready for more answers, more questions and a lot more action! And, something I know we've all been secretly waiting for...new OC introductions! Which OCs will be introduced in the chapters to come? Only time will tell!_

_Stay frosty, everyone!_

_Xen Kenshin_


	16. Chapter 16

**Don't Run Away**

_So, in order to stay true to the GEB canon, I've been re-watching the cut scenes and more or less copy-pasting them into the fanfic. Most of you probably already knew this. But what you may not have known was that I've replayed through the game as X (yes, X is my main in the game. Big surprise there) twice in order to see the in-game cut scenes again. _

_Now, granted, there's an in-game feature that allows you to view past cut scenes, but I'm a sucker for authenticity. Only now, have I decided to make a second character and just keep her up to par with the fic and the appropriate cut scenes._

_Yes, my secondary character is female. Why? Because I'm a **huge **fan of Mary Elizabeth McGlynn's voice. And one of her most known roles? Major Motoko Kusanagi on Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex. So...just go ahead and guess who I modeled my female character off of._

**Chapter 16 - X07's Return To Arms**

**Mission: Green Purebreeds  
Mission Target: Two Chi-Yous**

"Ah, Private X07!" Hibari greeted him with a smile. "It's good to see you've made a full recovery."

"Thanks." X gave her a nod. "It'll take a lot more than that to keep me down."

"Wonderful!" Hibari handed X some paperwork. "You have a mission with Corporal Lindow Amamiya, your Unit Leader, and Alissa Ameillia, your junior New-Type."

"Alissa _Ilinichina_ Ameillia." X spoke as he took the paperwork, earning a questioning look from Hibari. X gave her a shrug and filled out a few pages. "Wait," He looked up from the papers to Hibari. "My junior New-Type?"

"It's the phrase Lindow used upon registering the two of you for this mission. He told me to relay the phrase to you and keep using it, and I quote, 'Until it's beaten into that blue head of his'."

"Nice to see my recent hospitalization hasn't put a damper on anyone's mood..." X grumbled to himself as he removed a pen from inside his sniper coat.

"Actually, it had quite the opposite effect." Hibari had heard X speak under his breath. "After hearing that our first New-Type had defeated such a powerful enemy, everyone was in high spirits. And your combat skill received equally high praise."

X nodded as he filled in the blanks of the paperwork, letting Hibari know she had his attention.

"But once they heard that the Vajra had done so much damage to you, everyone buckled down and doubled their training!"

Hibari saw the pen go slack in X's hand. X fixed his grip and continued writing.

"You don't say?" X sounded monotone. He handed Hibari the completed forms. "Well, I'm back now." X gave Hibari a wave. "Maybe I'll work twice as hard, too."

"X!" Hibari called out. "Today's date is Friday, June fifteenth, not the fourteenth."

"Is it really?" X then checked his watch. "Huh... that wasn't broken before..." He reset the date on his watch and then corrected the date on his paperwork. "Thanks Hibari."

"Think nothing of it, X. Good luck on your mission!"

* * *

"Stronger than any other God Eater who ever existed?" Tsubaki repeated as she sat across from Dr. Sakaki.

"Yes," He took a sip of his tea. "And thanks for having lunch with me!" Sakaki's smile became childish. "It gets rather lonesome in my laboratory."

Tsubaki didn't acknowledge the gratitude. "Doctor...just what data are you basing this information on?"

Sakaki sighed. "It's always business with you, isn't it?"

"It's _always _business, Doctor." Sakaki caught the meaning behind her words; the Aragami didn't rest, so neither should Fenrir.

"Point taken." Sakaki stood up and retrieved the remains of the Sniper outfit he made of X from behind his terminal. It was vacuüm sealed in plastic.

"That's right." Tsubaki recognized it instantly. "You weren't just keeping tabs on X, you were also keeping a record of his output." Tsubaki's eyes widened.

"Oh, so you've come to the same realization I have?" Sakaki sounded excited.

"Perhaps," Tsubaki's usual demeanor returned. "But I'll hear you out for your sake, Doctor."

Sakaki chuckled. "Considerate as always." Sakaki punched in a command on his terminal, and his lecturing screen dropped down from the ceiling.

"As you know, we follow a military ranking for God Eaters in Fenrir. After a recruit completes a certain number of missions and grows from their experiences, they are typically promoted to a higher rank. These ranks, in ascending order are: Private, Sergeant, Corporal and Lieutenant.

As per the chain of command, the higher up you are in rank, the more power you hold over other God Eaters. Now, God Eaters are not only promoted for their physical strength, but also their tactical strength and their actions both during and when not on missions.

Typically, Corporals and Lieutenants lead whole units, such as Corporal Lindow Amamiya. But there are Sergeants that lead Units. God Eater Tatsumi O'mori, leader of the Defense Unit, is a prime example."

"Cut to the chase, Doctor." Tsubaki respectfully cut in.

"Very well." Sakaki clicked a remote that Tsubaki didn't notice him pick up, until a chart popped up on screen. She saw the profile images of several God Eaters, all mapped out along the tree chart.

"Here, at the top of the chart, we have the leaders of the many Units in the Far East Branch." Tsubaki easily recognized her younger brother's face at the top of the chart. Tatsumi's photograph was a panel or two away from Lindow's. "The further left an individual is placed on this chart, the higher their statistics as a God Eater."

Immediately, Tsubaki noticed Soma's sulky profile image on its own in the upper left hand corner of the screen. It was just above her brother's.

"And beneath them, we have the sub leaders. They have been arranged both by which Unit they belong to, as well as their output." Sakaki stared at the chart for a moment. "Only now am I realizing that, conveniently enough, the members of each Unit are stronger than the counterpart members of their previous Unit."

Sakaki pointed to Tatsumi. "To explain. Here, we have Tatsumi O'mori as the strongest member of Unit Two. He's at the top of the chart since he's a leader. And which leader is stronger than him? Why, First Unit's leader Lindow Amamiya. That pattern seems pretty consistent further down the line."

Sakaki demonstrated this by changing slides and pointing out leaders of the other various units.

"And, that pattern holds true to the sub-leaders." Sakaki pointed at Sakuya Tachibana, sub-leader of Unit One, then Brendan Bardell, sub-leader of Unit Two.

"But Sakuya is a Ranged God Eater." Tsubaki pointed out. "Wouldn't she be considered weaker than Brendan?"

"Perhaps physically," Sakaki adjusted his glasses. "Given that Melee God Eaters do need to be physically strong. And Brendan does wield a Buster Blade, the largest and heaviest of the Blade God Arcs. However, in terms of overall statistics, Sakuya is the more powerful God Eater."

"I see..." Tsubaki jotted something down on he clipboard. "Carry on, Doctor."

"Taking notes?" Sakaki seemed delighted.

"Of course." Tsubaki's professional tone held humor.

"Then carry on I shall." Sakaki now pointed to the third row. "These are non-leader God Eaters who, should their stats increase, would be eligible to become sub-leaders. And further down, are God Eaters whose statistics are still growing."

"Those two." Tsubaki pointed to the center of the screen with her pen. "Are the two rookie New-Types." Tsubaki's eyes quickly scanned the chart. "Not only are their pictures right next to each other, but they are both split off from the tree chart, almost as though someone pinned them onto its trunk."

"A truly exquisite analogy!" Sakaki praised. "The two New-Types are close in power, and as New-Types, have readings that differ from our roster of Old-Type God Eaters in so many different ways, that adding them into this chart normally wouldn't have done them justice."

"Then Doctor," Tsubaki inquired. "Where is Private Tsumi on this chart?" Tsubaki noticed the curve in Sakaki's smile grow.

"She's a special case. Given her data prior to joining this branch, and her data as of late, I'm still working out just exactly where she would be on this chart."

"And if you had to make a hypothesis, Doctor?" Tsubaki sensed the Doctor's anxiety.

"I'd put her right below Brendan Bardell." Sakaki spoke with zero hesitation.

"I see." Tsubaki took note of that. "Can we attribute her strength increase to whatever property possessed by Private X07 that is rubbing off on those around him?"

Sakaki frowned. Tsubaki nearly dropped her pen. "Given his anti-social nature, the only other Old-Type God Eater in the 'Unknown Factor X' equation -"

"The what, Doctor?"

"The 'Unknown Factor X' equation, Tsubaki. It's a term I coined in order to refer to X07's effect on other God Eaters." Before Tsubaki could interrupt, Sakaki carried on. "It's a play on words! The English alphabet 'X' is typically to represent unknown variables, particularly in algebra. So, one could rename this phrase as 'Unknown Factor Unknown'.

However, the person in question is Private X07, who prefers to be called 'X' instead. So, a third option would be 'X Factor X'. These alternatives proved to be quite the conundrum, at first..."

"Doctor..." Tsubaki felt a bead of sweat roll down her face.

"But then I recalled the conventions of the English language, placing the noun after the ad-"

"Doctor..." Tsubaki spoke in tame rage.

"But then one must remember that we, the faculty of the Far East Branch, know very little of Private X07-"

"Doctor Sakaki!" Tsubaki nearly yelled.

"And viola!" Sakaki opened his arms. "Unknown Factor, this...occurrence that affects other God Eaters, and 'X' the unknown God Eater himself!"

"How very clever of you." Tsubaki was clearly at wits end. "Now, do you remember our original topic?"

"Were we not discussing my brilliance?"

"Paylor Sakaki, be serious!" Tsubaki scolded him.

Sakaki smiled at Tsubaki. "Ah, of course. Forgive my easily excitable personality." Sakaki cleared his throat and looked back at the chart. "Where was I? Right! The only other Old-Type God Eater in this equation is Kota Fujiki. Whatever this 'Unknown Factor X' is, it doesn't seem to affect those with a power level higher than X07's."

Tsubaki raised an eyebrow. "So, upon her transferring here, X and Kinaia were of the same strength?"

"He made private the same day she arrived, did he not?"

Tsubaki became quiet as she flipped through a few pages of her clipboard. "Interesting..."

"You have your own theory, Adviser Amamiya." Sakaki sniffed. "I can smell your brain working."

Tsubaki shot Sakaki a glare. "Doctor, please refrain from saying such...creepy...comments." She then returned to the front page of her clipboard. "But yes, I do have a theory. What if X07's...unknown factor-"

"The 'Unknown Factor X'."

"Is not only effecting other God Eaters, but also being effected _by _other God Eaters?" Tsubaki continued as though Sakaki had not spoken over her.

Sakaki became pensive. "Interesting indeed. Perhaps the 'Unknown Factor X' analyzes the power of those stronger than X, which could be why older God Eaters aren't advancing as rapidly as the new ones around X, and then utilizes whatever its discovered in the older God Eaters and enhances those aspects in the newer God Eaters?"

"Are you saying this..." Tsubaki finally gave in. "Unknown Factor X is intelligent and selective _on top _of being contagious?"

"It's just a theory built upon yours." Sakaki theorized. "But, it sounds very plausible, what with our lack of solid evidence."

"What of Kota Fujiki?" Tsubaki then saw Kota's picture on the chart. She sighed. "I see why you're still uncertain, Doctor. While Kinaia's stats have visibly increased, Kota's stats are growing at a near death crawl."

"True." Sakaki suddenly sounded very hopeful. "Kota, while a very capable gunner, isn't showing much signs of progress. However, when in the presence of a New-Type, and shot with a Team Bullet, his power sky-rockets to that of a sub-leader's."

"Amazing." Tsubaki flipped to Kota's page in her clipboard and wrote down Sakaki's quote. "I had always noticed the changes in the tone of his reports after going on missions with other Old-Types versus missions with New-Types. Whenever he was paired with X, Kiria or Alissa, his reports seem more cheerful." Tsubaki smiled. "But regardless of New or Old types, his reports are still late."

"Every experiment needs a control, a factor that remains unchanged, for stability." Sakaki smiled. Tsubaki got the Doctor's joke easily; somethings just wouldn't change.

"Indeed." Tsubaki then pointed to the chart. "So, where does Private X07 fit on this chart?"

"I was wondering when you'd notice his face was missing."

"I noticed it the moment the chart came up." Tsubaki then smiled to Sakaki. "I just wanted to drag out the suspense. I enjoy seeing you squirm, Doctor."

Sakaki gulped. "I suppose I deserved that." clicking his remote, Sakaki pointed to the screen. Three empty boxes popped up; one at the bottom of the chart, one at the middle and then one at the top. "When X first joined, I pegged his stats to be about here, at the top of that times new batch of God Eaters."

The square at the bottom of the page was filled by X's picture.

"After his promotion to Private, X's power remained constant at this level." The middle box now revealed X's portrait as well. Tsubaki noticed that this box was quite high above God Eaters Shun and Karel. "Now, whether or not he moved from here," Sakaki pointed to the bottom portrait. "To here," Sakaki pointed in the middle. "Because of a legitimate increase in power, or he simply became accustomed to battling Aragami is unknown."

Sakaki noticed Tsubaki quickly scribble something down. If the flick of her wrist was any indication, Tsubaki ended her writing with a question mark. "But during his mission seven days ago," Sakaki carried on. "Against the Vajra that had been genetically altered by a third party-"

"What?!" Tsubaki shouted, the expression on her face caused Sakaki to become very nervous.

"Oh, right..." Sakaki laughed. "I didn't tell you about that part. I'm sorry, but bear with me for a moment." Sakaki felt the anger radiating off of Tsubaki. "During that mission, right before the rescue party you sent to retrieve him departed, X07's power was here." He pointed to the empty box that X's picture slowly faded into. It was above Lindow's face on the chart, and the base of the picture was at eye level with Soma's portrait.

"He's even more powerful than Soma?!"

"Just barely." Sakaki reassured. "Besides, the data that I used for both Lindow and Soma is for when they both first joined."

"Still," Tsubaki was calming down, but still on edge. "It's a bit of a shock."

"Indeed." Sakaki agreed. "Especially once you see how his power at that time compares to Lindow and Soma's current levels...

* * *

"Achoo!" X sneezed into the crook of his arm. "Damn, that's the second time in the past five minutes!"

"I hope you're not sick..." Licca spoke as she retrieved X's God Arc.

"No," X sounded certain. "I got a clean bill of health from Sick Bay. They'd know if I were sick. I was in there for almost a week, after all."

"Speaking of which," Licca turned away from Storage and hit X on the head.

"What was that about?" X clearly wasn't hurt by the blow, nor did he even seem annoyed. Both he and Licca knew he could have dodged the blow if he had wanted to.

"It was reckless of you to take that solo mission, X. Especially after you didn't get a good night's sleep."

"You're right." X stated.

"No, don't argue with me." Licca then stopped. "What?"

"I said you're right."

"Just like that?" Licca asked, shocked.

"Yes." X then grabbed his god Arc. "But don't think I'll calm down anytime soon."

Licca stared at X for a moment. She saw X's eyebrow raise above his sunglasses.

"Licca?" X called her name.

"Hm?" Licca sounded as though she were just waking up.

"Everything okay?" X asked, although he suspected there was something on her mind.

"Yeah X, I'm fine." Licca nodded, turning away.

X then remembered what Kanon had told him during her visit. "Licca,"

Licca turned back to X. She had never heard this tone in his voice before. "Y-yes?"

"Have you heard about the rumors about us?"

'(So he's heard them, too.)' Licca thought to herself. '(Is this how he sounds when he's upset? It's oddly calm...)' Licca nodded and then answered further "Lindow is the source of them, but no matter how many times I tell him off, or deny them, everyone keeps trying to force us together."

X nodded slowly, taking a few moments to himself. "Alright, well, I'm off." X swiftly walked towards the main elevator, leaving Licca alone in the storage area.

"G-good luck!" Licca called out to him, giving a nervous wave. She saw him return the wave, keeping his back to her as he waited for the elevator. '(That must have been hard for him.)' Licca turned her attention to her terminal and picked up where she had left off before X came to retrieve his God Arc. Licca was standing on a platform that elevated her several feet off of the ground. She was currently checking over the internal structure of the storage bay. Right now, Licca inspected the nuts and bolts of one of the support beams.

'(He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who likes talking about romance-)'

"Do you want to give it a shot?"

Licca let out a yelp and and jumped, nearly out of her skin. The action caused her feet to completely miss the platform, and she plunged several feet towards the metal grating that served as a floor. X caught her in his arms. He could feel Licca's heart pounding through the palm on her back.

"Oh my god, X!" Licca panted, placing her hands to her chest. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Licca then looked up at the platform that was still elevated a projected forty feet high. "Not to mention I could have died if I landed wrong."

"Oh." X didn't seem the least bit concerned. "Sorry."

"Geez," Licca was starting to calm down now that the initial shock was over. "Weren't you just over there?!" She pointed across the easily triple digit in feet distance to the elevator.

"Yeah," X spoke as though he were addressing a child. "But then I walked over here."

"Who walks that fast?" Licca let out a haggard laugh. "And so quietly, at that?" She then realized how X was holding her. He held her bridal style, her legs slung over his left arm, and his God Arc lay motionless at his feet. "You can put me down now."

X did as she wished.

"What in the world was so important that you had to double back and nearly murder me-" Licca finally caught what X had asked.

"I wanted to know if you would like to give the two of us dating a shot." X then looked away from Licca, placing a hand to his chin. "I'm not supposed to use those words..."

"Wait," Licca's adrenaline was still pumping from her near death experience. "Give what a shot?"

X held up a hand to silence Licca, "Wait, I rehearsed this..." X cleared his throat. "Good afternoon, Licca."

Licca's facial expression dropped to one of bemusement. "What?"

"Ah, right, I've already greeted you..." X seemed to be struggling greatly with whatever he had rehearsed. "Uhm...you look awfully..." X stopped then muttered to himself. "I can't say 'not not pretty'..." Licca watched as X continued to struggle with his words. While he sounded like an actor trying to remember their lines, he looked like a criminal that had been caught lying at the scene of a crime.

"Licca." He began, his voice nearly making the mechanic jump again. "Your hair looks great." Licca instinctively put a hand to her hair; she was always so busy with working on the equipment, doing anything more than basic maintenance on herself would have been nearly impossible. While she always managed to keep herself looking neat, Licca hadn't really thought she was the epitome of beauty.

"Uhm," Licca fought with her own personal afflictions and X's forced tone. "Thank you?"

X lifted his sunglasses and rubbed his closed eyes. "That obviously didn't work..."

Now Licca was at a total loss. "X07," X stopped rubbing his eyes and opened them. Licca inwardly gasped; this was the first time in a while she had seen his face without his sunglasses. She nearly lost her train of thought but quickly continued. "Explain your recent behavior."

X blinked a few times. Apparently, he was just as disoriented as Licca was.

"You're obviously trying to get at something here, so why don't you just get to the point. Those Aragami aren't going to slay themselves."

X seemed to have reached an epiphany, because a small smile came across his face as he removed his sunglasses from his face.

"Since everyone else is convinced that we're dating," X began and already Licca felt her heart beat pick up. "I figured we may as well try to find out what they see in us."

Licca took a step back. "X, are you asking me out on a date?!"

X, too, seemed to be uncertain of himself because his response was a slow, laggy shrug.

Licca felt her heart skip a beat and nervousness start to set in. "Wha-what's gotten into you? You never showed any interest in relationships before." Licca crossed her arms defensively.

"Well, no one's ever sat me down and discussed relationships..." X stopped to find the words. "With such ferocity and desire like Kanon did when she visited me in Sick Bay and convinced me to ask you out."

Licca understood immediately. "X, are you asking me out because someone else told you to?"

"No." X replied bluntly. "Right after Kanon was done her speech, I kicked her out." Licca gasped, bewildered by his brash action. "I got tired of her saying 'I'm sorry!' after every sentence. Honestly, most of what she said went right over my head." Licca couldn't help but laugh at the tired expression on his face. "Which is why I'm having such a hard time remembering her tips."

"X," Licca giggled. "It's alright. You don't have to ask me out."

"I don't?" X sounded relieved.

"Yeah. People are going to chat about anything they can. Especially since talking about a couple is much easier on the heart than it is to talk about daily tragedies."

Licca noticed the way X's eyes shifted downwards.

"I see..." X's tone was unreadable.

"B-besides," Licca now had control of the situation. "It wouldn't work out between us."

"Oh?" X looked into Licca's eyes. The mechanic felt her voice catch in her throat.

"Yeah," Licca was suddenly fumbling with her words. "We...we just don't...click."

"Click?" If Licca didn't know any better, she would have thought X was offended.

"Do you remember when we upgraded your Tail Sword: Silver to the Tail Sword: Silver II?" X nodded. Although his face didn't change, Licca could tell he was trying to figure things out by the look in her eyes.

"Remember when we had to re-assemble your God Arc after implementing the new shield and gun, and you had that one loose screw?"

"Yeah," X answered instantaneously. "No matter how many times, or how many different screwdrivers we used, it just didn't...oh." X caught on to the metaphor. "I see."

Again, his tone was unreadable. "Yeah, we're like that." Licca spoke, now feeling awkward. She tugged uncomfortably on her left arm as X stared at her.

"So..." X began after a few seconds of awkward silence. "What time are you free?"

Licca did a double-take. "What?"

"When are you free?" X repeated, adding a wave of his hand. "Brunch? Lunch? Dinner? Midnight coffee?" X then reconsidered. "Midnight iced curry?"

"Di-didn't you just hear what I said?" Licca tried again.

"I did." X spoke with clarity.

"Then...you should know that my answer was no. I would not like to go on a date with you."

"Then, it won't be a date." X spoke as if it were Licca missing the point.

"Now you've lost me again, X..." Licca sighed.

"When we were simply doing work and enjoying each others company, everyone thought we were dating. If we continue doing just that, everyone will continue to think we're dating, and thus, have something to talk about in place of the 'daily tragedies', as you put it."

Licca's eyes widened. "This way," X continued. "We can get everyone off of our backs while making things a bit less depressing around here." Throughout the conversation, Licca had been pushed and pulled in all directions, but now she was truly drawing blanks.

"Uh," She stammered.

"I get it," X raised a hand. "It would be awkward to pretend like this never happened. I can wait for an answer." X put his sunglasses back on.

"No, it's not that..."

"Then what is it?" X asked with no remorse.

"You really are bad at this, X..." Licca sounded agitated.

"That's the same thing Kanon said." X's eyes narroed behind his sunglasses. "Have you two spoken about this?"

"No, X." Licca explained. "You can't just ask a girl out one second and then try to be friends the next!"

"But, I was told that you might try to be friends with me if I were to fail." X had let that line slip intentionally.

"Fail?" Licca laughed "What is this, a mission?"

X remained silent; he _had _been told to think of this interaction as a mission.

"I don't even want to know what you're thinking about..." Licca sighed in defeat. "Fine, we'll continue to hang out, as usual but we'll say we're dating." Licca then gave X a warm smile. "It's not like this was going to stop us form being buddies, anyway."

X gave Licca a deadpan look. "I never said we'd tell everyone we were dating. I merely suggested that we return our relationship to its original state.

Now Licca's face became a shade of pink. "Well, same thing, really."

"No it's not." X shook his head. "But if that's what you want -"

"It's not what I want!" Licca's voice echoed through the storage area.

"O...okay?" X bent down and lifted his God Arc. He checked his watch. "I really have to go now. Can we finish this when I get back?

'There's nothing TO finish!" Licca snapped. She then covered her mouth.

"I've obviously created some tension in a place where it didn't exist before..." X backed away slowly. "I'll let you work that out..."

"There is nothing TO work out!"

"Okay, Licca."

"Don't you try and appease me!"

"I'm not-"

"And don't belittle my intelligence, either!"

"Okay." X took a few steps towards Licca. "Just, stay calm.

"I **am **calm!" Licca shouted, clearly flustered by X's ever changing approach.

X now remained silent. He had paid attention to one thing Kanon had told him: 'If a woman seems like she's going berserk, simply shut your mouth and do as she says.' X figured that it had worked with Tsubaki who told him nearly the same thing when he was first recruited by Fenrir, so there was no harm in trying it now.

"You and I are getting lunch the minute you get back from your mission. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am!" X stood straight like he had been address by a military superior.

"Good, now go catch up with Lindow and Alissa." Licca pointed to the elevator that would take me to the helipad. The elevator doors opened up the same moment she pointed to them, taking Licca by surprise.

X didn't need further direction. He was boarding the elevator in a second...

* * *

Alissa and X stared at the City of Mercy from the drop point. X heard Lindow's feet make contact with the ground and turned to face the Unit Leader. Alissa had also heard Lindow as well, as she turned to face him.

"Ah...I'm working with you two New-Types today. I'll try not to get in your way, so don't mind me." Lindow smiled at X and Alissa, hoping his comment could ease some of the tension and nervousness that accompanied every mission as a God Eater.

"If you ask me, Old-Types should just stick to what Old-Types are capable of doing." Alissa was quick to speak her mind – and to Lindow, her Unit Leader, no less. Although his face did not show it, X was a bit worried on how Lindow wourld respond, from a professional point of view, anyway.

"Ha ha ha. Well then; I'll see what I can do to live up to your expectations." Lindow was still Lindow, and gave such a 'Lindow' response. As he was speaking, Lindow was walking to Alissa's side. Now beside her, Lindow gave Alisa a reassuring pat on the shoulder - only for her to jump back with a shriek.

"Whoa...I can see you really can't stand me." Lindow spoke after a few moments of silence. X watched the scen sieltnly, but gears began working in his head.

Alissa stammered for a while, eventually uttering an apology. Lindow laughed it off, joking as always, but suddenly got a reserved look when he noticed the way Alisa held her head. X sensed a tension between the two - mainly coming from Lindow. X got the feeling Lindow knew something that he - and possibly the rest of the God Eaters - didn't.

"Ha ha ha ha ha. Just kidding." Lindow laughed it off as though nothing happened. X noticed that the look on Lindow's face hadn't changed.

"Hmm... Let's see...Listen up, Alisa." Lindow began. Once again, his voice was...different. It commanded even X's attention. "When things get chaotic, look up at the sky. Then, find a cloud that looks like an animal. That'll help you to chill. Til then, stay here; that's an order. Afterwards, I want you to join us over there. Got that?"

'(Us?)' X thought. '(He wants me to come with him?)'

"Bu-but, why should I do such a thing?" Alissa questioned, still sounding distraught. X caught on immediately; Lindow had sent hin Alissa's files. The girl needed constant medical check-ups and Lindow was giving her the time she needed to recuperate before going on the mission. All it took was one second of hesitation, one second of uncertainty or any other outside factor, and your life came to an end. X now looked to Lindow. So this was why he was Unit Leader...

"Just look for a cloud, okay?" Lindow sounded like a parent who had enough of their child's bickering. Oddly enough, his tone reminded X of Tsubaki. "Alright, we're going on ahead." Lindow now addressed X. X gave him a nod, and followed Lindow as he jumped down from the drop off point.

* * *

**X's Point of View**

Lindow and I walked past the old church. I gazed it sidelong; something about it unsettled me. His voice caught me off guard.

"There's something about that kid - she seems to have a lot of baggage."

I wanted to reply, but the ambience of the merciful, merciless city we trodded through dampened my mind.

"Still, these days, who doesn't have some kind of tragedies in their lives?"

I recalled my own tough past; Lindow made a great point. I then remembered what Lindow told me not too long after the day we first met; _"I've read your files, rookie." _Just how much did he know about me, too?

"Since you're a New-Type like her," he stopped walking, and I of course followed. I could hear the seriousness in his voice, although Lindow had a way of speaking so that he always sounded happy and carefree.

"Try to look out for her, alright?"

He placed his hand on my shoulder. The look in his eye was sincere and stern - the eyes of a true leader. I felt myself slowly begginning to yearn for this...charisma that Lindow had. Would I ever be able to attain it? And why did I want it so badly?

His words hinted at something beyond comraderie and near-human extinction. Perplexed but level headed, I gave him a nod of confirmation. Lindow looked me over for a second. Satisfied he gave me a large smile. "Good." He patted my shoulder and then with a coy smile asked: "You're not going to jump away form me too, are you?"

I shrugged his hand off of my shoulder and walked away from him. "Let's get this over with, Amamiya." I heard Lindow laugh as he caught up with me.

"It's fun messing with you, you know that?" He was still chuckling when he finally caught up with me. My back was pressed to the wall as I scanned ahead of us.

"Apparently." I muttered. I sorely hoped that no one else got the idea to try and 'mess with me' as Lindow did.

"So, that Vajra," Lindow cut to the point awfully fast. "Was just a normal Vajra according to your report." He noted my silence and kept going. "You chalked up your near-death victory to your lack of experience."

"What of it?" I asked, not moving from this position incase Alissa was trying to catch up with us.

"You and I both know that you could have handled that Vajra on your own with no problem if it were a run of the mill Aragami." Lindow waited to see if I woud responed. When I didn't, he added. "Just like that Borg Camlann at the Fallen Carrier."

I turned around to face him.

"Yeah, I got your message, rookie, and I looked into it. Turns out, the same stuff in that Borg was in that Vajra. Luckily for us," I raised an eyebrow. Us? "None of the higher ups at the Den wanted this info going back to HQ, so they let our tampering slide."

"Someone else at the Den knows that the Aragami in this area are being tampered with?" I asked, growing cautious. I then recalled the visit Director Schicksal paid me while I was in the hospital. "Schicksal." I uttered. Lindow had heard me, and his smile vanished.

"You catch on quick." Lindow looked me up and down.

He and I both looked behind him; Alissa was running top speed now that she had a visual on us.

"We'll talk later." Lindow spoke to me as he waved Alissa down.

"Sure we will." I spoke skeptically, turning back around to find the Chi-Yous we were assigned to hunt down. And find them, I did.

"We've been engaged!" I yelled, noticing an energy blast all too late. I jumped back, avoiding impact with the blast, but still caught in the blast radius. I felt Lnidow's arm around me as we both went flying from the impact. I heard the distinct sound of a God Arc switching forms and seconds later, shots were being fired.

"Rookie," Lindow's voice accompanied his hand pulling me up. "Can you fight?" I shifted my God Arc to gun form and followed Alissa's line of sight to our targets. The two Chi-Yous, large metallic blue creatures resembling males with razor sharp feathers along their wing span, extended their hands and gestured for us to bring it on. The taunt worked seamlessly, because seeing it pissed me off instantly.

I opened fire on the Chi-You Alissa couldn't cover. Seeing me jump into action being enough of an answer for him, Lindow made his way between Alissa and I. Lindow to the first, and closest, Chi-You, the one Alissa was firing upon. Alissa saw Lindow approaching the target, and adjusted her fire higher so that she wouldn't shoot him. I noticed my target turning around to face Lindow who was now hacking away at the first Chi-You's legs.

"No you don't!" I changed to a custom bullet and took aim at my Chi-You's head.

This was another bullet I had worked on while Licca and I upgraded my equipment for that Vajra fight. I called it 'Ultimate Blaze', aptly named since Licca and I calculated it to do fourteen hundred damage. It was a shot-type bullet that had advanced piercing properties and linked with a rotating chip for extra piercing damage. Two more bullets identical to the first fired zero point two seconds and zero point five seconds later, each on a ten degree difference from the first bullet. After those three shots connects, a short duration orb fired a volley of rapid fire homing shots.

While powerful, I could only fire Ultimate Blaze three times – twice now, since I had already been firing some low cost shots already. But it was enough to draw the Chi-You's attention away from Lindow and towards me. The large bird hybrid let out a howl and spread its wings. It then hopped into the air and flew towards me, propelled by small bursts of flame beneath its wings. I Knew that I wouldn't be able to shift my God Arc in time, so I waited for the Chi-You to draw closer.

It was in front of me faster than I had anticipated; I jumped into the air, but I couldn't clear the Chi-You completely. I fired, although I knew I was empty. The hollow recoil kept me suspended for a fraction of a second longer. The Chi-You and I both touched down at the same time. I swung around on my heel, shifting my God Arc to blade mode. My still shifting Arc raised over my head, I brought the blade down-

"Rookie!" Lindow's voice came a second too close to late. I hopped forward towards my Chi-You as an unseen blast went off behind me. I felt debris shower my shoulders but was fine otherwise.

"X!" Alissa's voice this time. I deployed my shield this time. Thanks to Alissa, I saw the Chi-You's claw closing in on my left side. I completed the spin ion my heel and my Inugami Shield took the brunt of the blow for me. I heard the Chi-You in the distance let out a caw and I looked over my shoulder.

It was crouched low, as though it were in a prayer. Seeing it do that sent a shiver down my spine/ My instincts told me that I was in grave danger. I looked back at my Chi-You to realize it was doing the same. I listened to my gut and spun my shield towards the Chi-You in the distance. And not a millisecond too late.

A barrage of energy blasts pummeling my Inugami Shield pushed me back to the drop point. Haggard but unscathed, I tried to catch my breath. It was then I remembered the Chi-You I had been fighting had been in a similar pose. I whipped my shield around to face it. The Chi-You shot up from its crouch and spun a few times in the air, causing a sharp wind guided by its strange energy to strike my shield.

My arms gave out momentarily and I felt my body go slack. Just standing felt difficult for a few seconds as I struggled to catch my breath. Although I could not move my head to see, two large shadows towered over my own, and I knew the Chi-Yous were far from done with me.

'(I'll be damned,)' I forced myself to look up. '(If I die groveling to a pair of chickens!)' Just as the Chi-Yous raised their hands, I saw Lindow and Alissa in the air behind them. They both spun forward with their God Arcs, resembling large buzz saws, and struck the head of both Chi-Yous. The two bird Aragami recoiled backwards, rubbing their heads and letting out low coos.

Lindow and Alissa landed on either side of me and faced the Chi-Yous.

"You okay, rookie?" Lindow asked me. I hefted my God Arc into a ready position and I could the corner of his mouth curl. "That's the spirit." Lindow took a few steps towards the Chi-You on our left. "Keep up the pressure!"

Just as Lindow swung, the two Chi-Yous turned around and hauled butt.

Lindow stopped, his God Arc hanging in the air. "Well, that was odd." Lindow turned back to face the New-Types. "Alright, Alissa, it's your call."

"M-my call?" Alissa was clearly stunned by this sudden decision. I was too, but I wasn't going to show it. "What do you mean-"

"Even though it's a pretty tricky mission, I've decided to treat it as a simulation. You're the leader," Lindow then gave her a smile. "Unless things get too hairy, then I'll take over again."

Alissa stared at Lindow with a bewildered look on her face, but only for a second. Her expression became mute as she considered this. I had to give her credit; other rookie God Eaters in her position would have freaked out.

"Clock's ticking..." Lindow's words got through to both me and Alissa. Alissa looked up at Lindow, and then shifted her gaze to me. Was she asking for my opinion? Was she hoping I'd volunteer to be leader instead? Was I just in the way or something?

I then recognized the look in her eyes.

She was uncertain, but would never admit it out loud.

I gave Alissa a firm nod; the action seemed to shake her as her expression softened before she looked back to Lindow.

"A-alright then!" Her voice was a bit shaky, but commanding nonetheless. "We go after our targets! Show no mercy, and try to separate them if you can!" Alissa took off in the direction of the Chi-Yous. "Come on!" She marched past Lindow who looked back at me with a huge grin. If I didn't know any better-

_"It's a simulation. Act like you're in charge."_

My first mission ever, and my first mission with Lindow, when the target was an Ogretail. The memory hit me like a ton of bricks. I scurried to catch up with Alissa, and Lindow matched my pace easily.

"I know what you're doing." I spoke low enough so Alissa didn't hear us. Not like she would, anyway. She was a ways off from us.

"You should," Lindow replied casually. "You're the first person I've done it to, X." Lindow sped up to meet with Alissa when we all heard a roar coming from the empty church. Looking up, I spotted the Chi-You standing on the broken ledge. It jumped down, meeting us out back of the church. Perhaps the other Chi-You had gone to another area in order to-

Wait a second...Lindow called me X, didn't he? What happened to 'Rookie'?

* * *

_**Third Person Narrative**_

"As expected," Tsubaki remained professional even though X could read the pride on her face clear as day. "The three of you handled the mission excellently." Tsubaki looked between the three returned God Eaters before continuing.

"The three of you set a new record for defeating two Chi-Yous as a three man team."

"Cool," Lindow tapped some ash off of his cigarette. "That's like what, an S?"

"An S?" Alissa mimed silently to no one in particular.

"Actually, I'd give you and your team a triple S rating." Tsubaki allowed a smirk to form on her face.

Lindow whistled, and even X let out a triumphant chuckle.

"Don't let it get to your heads!" Both Lindow and X jumped to attention, X staring up at the ceiling for a moment. The action must have upset him, because he quickly looked straight ahead and grumbled to himself. Alissa, who was right beside him, heard Kota's name mentioned. Alissa, on the other hand, remained clueless as to what was transpiring.

"You can celebrate your rankings the day the Aragami are wiped off the face of the planet. Until that day comes, remain on your guard at all times. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am!" The three voices formed a near perfect chorus. The only exception being Lindow's voice who spoke "Big sis!"

"Lindow!" Tsubaki threw her clipboard at the Unit Leader. He caught it as if he caught a sword with his bare hands – but was swiftly put down by a blow to the stomach. "What did I tell you about calling me big sis while we're in the Den!"

Alissa stared mortified at the scene of Lindow on his knees and Tsubaki looming over him. "Alissa and X, you two are dismissed." Alissa nearly swallowed her tongue at the mention of her name. "The Corporal and I need to have a little... _discussion_."

Alissa choked out a meek "Yes ma'am!", surprised when it was only her voice that responded. She looked to her left to find that X was no longer in the elevator. Alissa looked around, and noticed the top latch was swinging ajar.

"He escaped awfully fast!" Alissa's jaw nearly dropped.

"Yep," Lindow groaned. "Saw him jump up the minute I said 'big sis'. Not even Shun moves that fa – ugh!"

"What did I say a bout saying 'big sis'?!" Tsubaki swatted Lindow with the clipboard that Alissa never saw her retrieve. The elevator doors opened with a ding, and Alissa backed out as fast as her feet would allow her. The doors closed almost the minute Alissa stepped out, and that was that.

"Too close." Alissa jumped at the voice with no origin. Alissa looked around but no one was on the rookie section floor with her. A loud bang and rattle alerted her attention to the vent above the elevator, and the grating fell off. A hand caught it before it fell to far, and X crawled out of the vent.

"That's where you went?!" Alissa shouted, amazed at her fellow New-Types' resourcefulness.

"I'd prefer a bit of dust over one of Tsubaki's roundhouse kicks any day." X maneuvered himself so that he could replace the grating before dropping down to the floor. He dusted himself off before continuing. "Nothing hurts more than a kick you never saw coming, especially when you're not the target."

Alissa, befuddled, only watched as X adjusted his sniper coat.

"What?" X shrugged. "It was a roundhouse kick and we were in a helicopter. Very little maneuvering room."

"I highly doubt that happened!" Alissa finally responded, much more than skeptic. "Things like that only happen in cartoons and video games!"

X let out a dry laugh. "This is no cartoon or video game and it happened." As an afterthought he added "We just got finished fighting two giants humanoid chickens and...you question a fight on a helicopter?"

Alissa closed her mouth. He had a valid point.

"Ha, fight!" X corrected himself. "It was a homicide turned genocide..." X visibly shivered. "Well, I'm off." X headed towards the staircase.

"X, wait!" His hand on the doorknob, X looked over at Alissa.

"_Alissa," Tsubaki pulled Alissa to the side before her mission with X and Lindow. "I'd like you to try and befriend Private X07."_

"_Befriend?" Alissa sounded unhappy at the idea._

"_Yes," Tsubaki retorted in a more commanding voice. "Not only is he the first New-Type here, he's...a bit of a recluse."_

"_So why should I be the one to babysit him?" She had no intentions of becoming friends with any of the people here. It was bad enough she had to treat them as comrades._

"_It's an order, for one," Tsubaki did not hesitate to use the chain of command. "And two, the two of you seem to have a lot more in common than just being New-Types." Although Tsubaki had gotten her point across, she could tell that Alissa still wasn't convinced._

"_And," Tsubaki tried a different and more gentle approach. "I can see that the two of you will be able to help each other out in a number of ways."_

"What is it?" X's voice was its typical monotone.

'(It's bad enough that I have to lie...)' Alissa complained in her mind. '(But does he have to be so detached about everything _all _the time?)' "I wanted to know if you'd help me review a few New-Type training tips." In a last ditch effort to sound casual, Alissa added "You know, just so command doesn't have anything negative to say about us."

"No can do." X turned back to the door. He did not see the infuriating look Alissa shot him. "I have other pla-" X's pocket beeped, interrupting him. He checked his communicator "Licca..." and then let out a sigh. Alissa couldn't tell if he were relieved or upset. "Looks like I'm free." X motioned for Alissa to follow him.

"So, what is it that you want to review?" X asked, opening the door to the stairs. Alissa kept her face neutral but groaned inside. She hadn't thought this far ahead...

* * *

X sat in the cafeteria by his lonesome, gnawing on the infamous new-type of corn. Every few bites, X checked his once loose canine tooth to make sure it was still in place. X glanced around; there was hardly anyone in the cafeteria at the time. At least, no one he would have wanted to sit with.

Then again, it was usually Kota who either sat with him or convinced others to let the pair join their table. Eating alone was a rather welcome change from eater with the God Eater who tended to be louder than his gun. Speaking of gunners, he and Alissa had wrapped up God Arc mechanics early. '(Actually,)' X doted, '(We didn't cover much aside from the basics. If I didn't know any better, I would think Alissa was -)'

X bit into the corn again as a means of distracting himself. '(No,)' X thought as he worked his jaw muscles. '(Why would she want to spend more time with me? She and Kiria typically hang out...)' X looked up at the ceiling light. '(Unless Kiria was busy...Did she use me as a means of entertainment until Kiria came back from a mission?)' X mulled the idea over in his head for a bit, uncertain of how he felt. Another thought came to mind.

'(Where is Kiria? I haven't seen her for a while, and she didn't visit me while I was in the hospital, either...)' X sighed then tried to get a piece of stubborn corn from between his teeth. '(It doesn't matter.)' He convinced himself. '(Alissa doesn't strike me as the type to make friends, even if she and Kiria are getting close.)'

_"Try to look out for her, alright?" _Lindow's words came back to him like a boomerang. '(Did Lindow put Alissa up to it?)' Although he had tried to dismiss the thought, it resurfaced the moment X relaxed. X bit into the corn again. '(This corn is terrible...)' X counted his blessings; he had eaten worse in his relatively short life. Looking back down at his tray, X noticed movement at the top of the stairs. From across the cafeteria, X recognized a particular red clad God Eater making their way downstairs.

'(Speak of the devil...)' X then reconsidered the phrase. '(Think of the devil?)' Alisa came down the stairs and looked around the cafeteria. The few Old-Type God Eaters who were around either avoided her gaze, or ignored her completely. A few even began whispering when they realized just who it was the walked into the cafeteria. From the outside, it wouldn't look such behavior phased Alissa. But on the inside...

'(Well, I am sitting alone since Kota is elsewhere...)' X sighed internally as he felt a bit of pity of the girl. His eyes watched Alissa from behind his sunglasses as she made her way to the self-serve buffet. X had intentionally sat at the table located in the furthest corner from the entrance. He didn't want anyone bothering him as he ate – particularly one of his fight against the two Chi-Yous had taken more out of him than he first thought. The two Aragami seemed to be targeting him way more than his two teammates, but X dismissed it as a shaky return to the battlefield.

He watched as Alissa added the new-type of corn to her plate of vegetables. X shook his head. '(She's good at combat but has bad instincts when it comes to food...)'

"_Try to look out for her, alright?"_ Again, Lindow's words echoed in X's ears. X scanned the cafeteria, half expecting to find Lindow hiding beneath a table or something, whispering those words into a his ear. X then noticed Alissa turning back around to face the seats. A second quick scan of the room, and he found no one was trying to get the Russian girl to sit with them. Again, the feeling of pity for her rose in his chest.

X turned around in his seat, and made it his business to get the girl's attention. She was evidently shocked, which was understandable since the two had gone separate ways only minutes ago. X waved her over casually, not caring about the stares he was receiving from his fellow God Eaters.

"_You've been here for a few months and everyone seems to love you."_

"_But once they heard that the Vajra had done so much damage to you, everyone buckled down and doubled their training!"_

If Kiria and Hibari's words held any water, by hanging around him long enough, Alissa would slowly gain the favor of the other God Eaters. '(It's the least I can do,)' X thought to himself solemnly as Alissa approached his table. '(Being the outcast in a group can have severe effects on a person's psyche, even if they refuse to show it.)'

"Odd seeing you again." Alissa greeted X in her own way. "Although I should consider myself lucky, seeing as how everyone else here probably isn't capable of holding a decent conversation." Alissa's statement was intentionally loud and obnoxious. X knew, because he had once been the new sheep in an already tight knit flock.

'(Once been?)' X laughed internally. '(I'm still on the outside.)' He gestured for Alissa to sit with him. '(But if I can get everyone else to at least tolerate her, then Lindow should get off of my back about it.)' Alissa sat across from X, her back to the entrance, and stared down at her food. '(Besides, every group only needs one loner.)'

"The corn sucks." X offered. That was it, his first move. Whether or not Alissa took it was up to her...

_And this is where I'm going to end this chapter. I know, a bit of a shift from the previous chapter with the Vajra fight, but doing two back to back fights would have taken a larger toll on me than I first surmised. Besides, as we approach a major turning point, I need to set up a particular mood in order to really drive the feelings, er, point home._

_Til next time! Stay frosty, everyone!_

_X.K._


	17. Chapter 17

**Don't Run Away**

_What's this? More of X's past revealed? And is that character development between multiple characters? And, hold on a second, there's a **second **character's past revealed as well? And...is that...the original plot starting to shine through? It looks like we have another important chapter ahead!_

_A/n: Today's my lucky day! (September, Friday, 13th, 2013) Why? Because everyone else is sooo unlucky! Mwahahahaha! Please don't let this exclamation influence your reading or reviewing experience. _

**Chapter 17 – **** Those Who Do Not Know History...**

**Saturday, June Sixteenth, 2071**

"Hey, X!" Lindow shouted into the near empty room. "Got a minute?"

X was in the God Arc Storage Area, hanging out with Licca as usual. "I'm a bit busy..." X called back, a bit annoyed. He was going over bullet mechanics with the lead engineer and was trying to cut down on OP consumption.

"Give your girlfriend a little breathing room, will ya? Girls don't like to be smothered!"

"Lindow!" Licca scolded him.

"Even if you are smothering them with affection -" Lindow ducked a wrench thrown at him by Licca. "Hey, nice arm!"

The New-Type God Eater exhaled and gave Licca a shrug. "I'll be quick, alright?"

Licca shook her head. "Don't rush. This will give me time to go over your schematics and pinpoint a few spots where you can -"

"Today would be nice!" Lindow called out impatiently.

"Go, go!" Licca pushed X towards Lindow. "He's normally not this impatient, so it must be serious." X gave Licca a mock bow before jogging to Lindow.

"What's up, Amamiya?" X greeted his Unit Leader with a mixture of annoyance and curiosity.

"We've got unfinished business." Lindow pointed over his shoulder. "We're headed to the weight room."

"You called me away from bullet editing in order to spot you?" X then noticed the look in Lindow's eye and his words. '(Unfinished...)' X shrugged and adopted a casual tone. "Yeah, sure. I'll come with."

Lindow smiled, knowing that X received his message. "Good. I couldn't rely on anyone else to help me bear this weight." X rolled his eyes behind his sunglasses; he had gotten the message. The two God Eaters remained silent as they took the stairs to the training section. They bumped into a few other God Eaters who tried to make small talk, but brushed them off as courteously and swiftly as possible.

Lindow and X stood outside the weight room. The sound of heavy weights clanking rhythmically greeted them as they opened the door.

"Oh, Lindow!" A God Eater greeted the leader. He then looked at X behind him. "Private X07, too!" His cheery disposition faded as he remembered just who he was greeting. "Alright, fellas, we're getting kicked off the equipment."

"Aw man, those two again?" A female God Eater rushed to finish her reps of leg presses.

"You know how they go at it," The first God Eater laughed.

"Yeah, I'm out," another male emerged from the bench pressing area. "I don't feel like being emasculated today."

"That would be what, your seventh time this week?" The girl laughed, wiping sweat from her face with her towel.

"Very funny!" The male snarled, walking past Lindow and X. He gave them a salute then headed out the door.

"Sorry guys," Lindow sounded as cheerful as ever. "But you know how much the Private here likes trying to break my records." Lindow gave X a playful jab in the stomach with his elbow. X managed to hold in a groan; there went his stomach again...

"Yeah," X smacked Lindow on the back, the room echoing. "Nothing like showing Lindow just how powerful a New-Type can be." The two earned blank stares as the God Eaters filed out of the room.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard, X..." Lindow complained, stretching his back.

"Say that to my kidneys..." X countered, holding his stomach.

Lindow chuckled and walked towards a weight lifting bench. He sat down on it then laid down on his back. "Gimme a hundred pounds" X complied, placing two fifty pound weights on each side of the bar. "Gonna warm up real quick..." Lindow explained, noticing the smug look on X's face. "No need to go and pull a muscle."

Lindow and X spent about ten minutes warming up. That's when they moved from the weight room to the loading bay in order to begin their real workout.

"So, X," Lindow spoke as the loud chains clanked and tightened around the large metal containers. "Have you heard anything worth while as of late?"

"Aside from Licca and I dating," X had to raise his voice to be heard over the loud clanking of the metal containers being hoisted up into the air. "Not really."

"Oh?" Lindow lit a cigarette and leaned against the controls. X knew that meant that he'd be going first. "Not even the increased search for New-Type God Eaters?"

"Tsubaki mentioned that weeks ago, back when Alisa and Kiria joined." X walked over to the loading area and stood on the black and yellow floor which clearly read 'do not stand'. He walked over to a pair of loose chains on the floor and picked them up, one in each hand. The chains extended upward into the rafters.

Lindow shook his head and exhaled. "So you've been easing up on hacking into the systems." Lindow laughed, although X could not hear it. "Didn't think you'd actually stop that."

"When Tsubaki kicks you the minute you step out of the shower, you do as she orders." X recalled the roundhouse kick that caught him off guard. "I never saw it coming."

"Oh, so big sis-" Lindow ducked instinctively and looked around. He cleared his throat and looked back at X. The Private pretended as though he saw nothing, and began to pull on the chains. "She's been hitting you lately, too, huh?" Lindow stood up straight and messed with the controls. There was another loud clank, and the noise came to an end.

X nodded before exhaling deeply and puling on the chain in his left hand. The stack of containers on his far left jumped a bit. X breathed and pulled on the right chain. The stack of containers, easily the size of eighteen wheelers, jumped like the first stack.

"C'mon, X," Lindow chuckled, knowing X could hear him. "Quit holding back." X sighed and tugged on the left chain again. The containers came off of the ground for a second, then fell with a heavy thud. The containers on X's right followed, until X began lifting them at a steady rhythm. Once more, the loading bay echoed with loud bangs and thuds. Lindow smiled and walked over to X until he stood directly in front of X.

"So, how are you enjoying being a God Eater?" Lindow's tone was serious.

"Just another name," X huffed. "For a soldier in another war." He strained a bit for a second. "Even the new enemies become the norm after a while."

"We all have something we fight for," Lindow flicked the ash off his cigarette. "Hell, even Karel, and he's only in it for the money."

"Nothing wrong with that." X replied, staring forward beyond Lindow as he lost himself in the flow of weight lifting.

"And Kota, he fights for his family in the Outter Ghetto. A slacker when it comes to homework, but a good kid nonetheless."

"Agreed." X closed his eyes and felt his muscles work as he slowly reached an inner peace.

"But, what about you?" Lindow's voice interrupted his trance-like state.

"What about me?" X sounded annoyed.

"What does the guy who was kidnapped by Fenrir fight for?" Lindow eyed X who had suddenly stopped moving. Lindow could sense the angry glare through X's sunglasses.

"He fights to eat," X resumed working out, speaking dismissively. "I'd guess."

Lind shook his head. "Can't say that I blame him." Lindow looked up at the containers and remembered something. "You know, these things used to be piled up at docks back before the Aragami popped up. They were used to carry all types of imported goods. I think they're called-"

"Shipping containers." X interrupted. "I'm aware."

Lindow chuckled to cover his annoyance. "More New-Types are coming, X."

"The more the merrier." X snarked, trying to reclaim his lost focus.

"What I mean is, with more mouths to feed, there will be less to go around."

"Sacrifices must be made for the betterment of man kind." X quoted Schicksal. Doing so made his stomach grumble, but he ignored it.

"Hmph," Lindow stepped on his cigarette. "But what does that mean for the guy who fights just to fill his stomach?"

"It means he'd better become a cannibal."

Lindow stared at X incredulously. "Leave the jokes to me, will ya?"

"I thought it was funny." X spoke in monotone.

"Then you have a dark sense of humor, friend."

"You say dark. I say...eccentric."

"Let's switch, X." Lindow commanded. X slowed down gradually then stopped. He handed the chains off to Lindow. "Load on a few more on each side, will ya?"

X walked over to the controls and added more containers to each side, totaling ten. Lindow exhaled and began to lift the shipping containers.

"Someone's not wasting anytime." X noted.

"Someone doesn't have time to waste." Lindow countered darkly.

X knew there was more to Lindow's words, but could not pinpoint what. He walked over to Lindow and stood in front of him. "What is it, Lindow?"

"Nothing I can tell you directly," Lindow huffed as he pulled on the chains. "But just know that something is going down."

"I figured as much," X narrowed his eyes. "Since the day I met him, Schicksal didn't strike me as the 'wait and see' kind of guy."

"And all of you New-Types are involved." Lindow finished his sentence.

"And since I'm the first New-Type, I'm undoubtedly a key factor." X pieced together.

"Bingo."

"If anything comes up I'll let you know."

"I know you will, X." Lindow then smiled as sweat trickled down his face. "So, how's it going with the ladies?"

X raised an eyebrow. "Don't you know I'm dating Licca?"

Lindow shook his head. "You two...are friends. We all knew that from the start."

"We?" X asked cautiously.

"Yep. It crushed Kanon's little heart." Lindow laughed. "But then Gina suggested Kanon try to win your heart."

X showed no change. "And?"

"Well, I was on my way out so I didn't hear anything else." Lindow sped up, making the banging become more consistent.

"Why are you asking me about relationships?" X interrogated.

"Because if I'm going to give you advice, I'll need to know the kind of girl you're into." Lindow's words were short and fast as he pushed himself.

"I..." X fell quiet. "Never really thought about it." X made a quick synopsis of his life; survival didn't require finding a spouse and settling down, so it never crossed his mind.

"See?" Lindow laughed. "You're so caught up in yourself, you don't know what kind of a girl you'd like." X looked at Lindow with a suspicious look. "What?"

"You said 'girl' in that voice of yours."

"What tone?" Lindow smiled innocently for a second before huffing.

"The tone that means there's more to what you said than just the words."

"Eh, a slip of the tongue." Lindow then began to slow down. "Still, think of the girls you'd be able to handle." Lindow let the canisters drop. "If you're lucky, maybe I'll set you up with a girl that I know."

"There it is again." X commented as Lindow stretched his arms. "Are we talking about human females, or whatever else a 'girl' means to you?"

"Let's just say both for now," Lindow laughed as he walked to the controls after patting X on the shoulder. "Get ready. I'm doubling the weight" X sighed and griped the chains; he felt the chains pull as more canisters fell from above. He felt his feet come off of the ground from the change of slack in the chains. "Oh? Too much for you?"

X grunted and pulled on the two chains. His feet on the ground again, he began to lift the canisters at a slow and steady rhythm. "I can handle this." X's rhythm began to pick up. Lindow reclined on the controls and watched X with a smile.

"Yeah. You can handle this, rookie."

* * *

"Aright, good work, everyone." Kinaia spoke as she wiped her God Arc clean. She had recently upgraded her Blade II to a Chill Blade and was liking its performance. '(But there's still something missing...)' She looked down at the God Arcs devouring from the slain Borg Camlann. "So, was this one easier from the Borg on our first mission?"

Both Alisa Kiria looked to one another and then to one another. Kiria pointed to the side of the bridge and said "Seeing as how no one went over the edge, I'd say yes."

Alisa let out a cold laugh. "After that, I highly doubt a Borg Camlann will ever cause me issues in the future."

Kinaia laughed, then realized something. "Hey, how often is it just us girls?"

Alisa shrugged. "Kiria and I tend to socialize out often. If anything, you're the odd addition to our duo."

Kinaia's smile shook. "I'm the odd addition?" She looked to Kiria who nodded with a wary expression on her face. "Well gee, no need to be so casual about it."

Kiria cocked her head to the side. "Kinaia."

"Hm?" The Old-Type God Eater sensed a change in Kiria's attitude.

"Your first mission at this branch was also with X, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Kinaia's memory flashed to the Sunken Grind she and X took were deployed to. "It was known as 'Crocodile One' and we were to take out a Gboro-Gboro. What of it?"

"How difficult was your opponent?" Kiria asked, reviewing the items she had retrieved from the Borg. "Yes." She cheered beneath her breath.

"I'd say it was a bit tougher than anticipated, but nothing worth documenting." Kinaia then realized that Kiria was digging for information. "Why, something up?"

Kiria shook her head. "I just thought it weird that all three of us had our first mission with X, and that the Aragami was stronger than usual."

"You make an interesting observation..." Alisa spoke up, as she and Kiria walked towards Kinaia. "Not to mention his first solo mission against that Vajra nearly killed him."

Kinaia raised an eyebrow "Are you two saying that X is some type of jinx?"

Kiria shook her head. "Of course not," Alisa voiced. "Although, I have heard rumors that there's a...what was the term they used?"

"Death god." Kiria finished Alisa's though.

"Yes, that was the phrase. They rumors say that Soma is a death god, since so many God Eaters end up dead after-"

"Well, that's not true." Kinaia objected quickly, silencing the two New-Types. "Rumors are rumors and that's that. Got it?"

"Got it..." Both New-Types sensed the tension.

"Good. Now let's head back. I have some upgrades I want to look into." She then looked at Kiria. "And seeing as how you wanted this specific type of Aragami, I'd say you want to upgrade something of your own, too, right?"

Kiria, slightly stunned, nodded. "How did you-"

"I've been doing this for six years." Kinaia lifted her Chill Blade. "I've gone through my fair share of weapon upgrades and farming."

"Farming?" Alisa asked. "Since when did God Arcs need agricultural-"

"It's a terminology." Kinaia grumbled. "It just means that you hunt a specific Aragami for a specific part."

"That still an odd term to use." Alisa flicked her hair back. "It sounds like something that would be coined from a video game."

Kinaia managed to keep her shock in check. "It is from a video...never mind. Let's just call the helicopter already..." Kinaia took out her communicator and called for extraction. Alisa and Kiria watched the skies after she hung up. "Actually," Kinaia drew the New-Type's attention. "It is weird that every new member of the Far East since X joined has had their first mission with him."

"So you've come to realize it, too?" Alisa's haughty tone did not faze Kiria.

"Hmm..." Kinaia became quiet. "There were rumors about X floating around, too."

"Rumors?" Kiria asked.

"He was a part of this program that had one hundred participants. He goal was to mold every single one of them into God Eaters that were twice as strong as a single unit, and he apparently was ranked number one."

"As impressive as that may sound," Alisa critiqued. "That doesn't sound like something Fenrir would warrant – at least not publicly."

"It wasn't public," Kinaia shook her head. "And, it's also rumored that it was just a cover-up made just for X."

"Where did you hear that?" Kiria spotted the incoming helicopter.

Kinaia waved her hand dismissively. "Didn't you hear me before? Rumors are rumors, and that's that. All we need to know is that we're all on the same team and Aragami are our enemy."

"Agreed." Kiria nodded. She then asked no one in particular "Have wither of you heard the rumor about Licca and X?"

"Didn't I just say..." Kinaia grumbled. She then sighed; at least they weren't speaking about false death gods anymore...

"Oh, the rumor that he and Licca are dating?" Alisa huffed. "We're God Eaters. The only priority we should have is killing any and all Aragami on the planet."

Kinaia gave Alisa a questioning look. "While I can't say I disagree, Alisa, don't you think people should be happy together?" Alisa looked taken aback but said nothing.

"So you think it's true?" Kiria looked between Alisa and Kinaia for confirmation.

"Who knows?" Kinaia shrugged. An idea formed in her mind. "Hey Kiria,"

Kiria picked up on the tone of Kinaia's voice, and her mischievous half smirk. "Yes?"

"Since we're on the topic of relationships, what kind of guy are you looking for?"

Kiria visibly stiffened up. She pointed to the distance with her free hand and said. "Our ride's here." She briskly walked past Kinaia and Alisa and made her way to the extraction point.

"Well, she avoided that question awfully fast." Kinaia laughed. 'But, she's not off the hook just yet."

"Really," Alisa began, walking past Kinaia. "Such conversation during a mission is unbecoming of - " Alisa was cut off by Kinaia throwing her arms across the Russian's shoulders. "What are you-"

"What about you, Alisa?" Kinaia's smirk was now a grin. "Surely, someone as self-oriented as you knows _exactly _what she wants in a boyfriend?" Alisa tried to wiggle out of Kinaia's grasp but found her efforts futile. "Nuh uh, you haven't even answered my question yet."

Alisa shot Kiria, who was looking back at the scene, a desperate look. Kiria turned her back to Alisa and boarded the helicopter. Alisa's jaw dropped. "Some friend you are!"

* * *

_** X's Point of View**_

"Good afternoon, X." Alisa sat down in front of me. I was still a bit sore from the workout Lindow and I did, and had come tot he cafeteria in order to unwind. I had been sitting down for five minutes when Alissa returned from her mission. She got her food and made her ways towards me. After I waved her over that day, Alisa and I had been spending more time together, at least, in the cafeteria.

It wasn't like she was unwelcome, but people were starting to whisper. I hated it when people whispered. I looked down at my tray and tried to ignore the voices I could hear clear as day:

"Do you think he's two timing Licca?"

"Ew, did that Russian force herself onto X or something?"

"Man, I envy him. She may be a brat but look at those-"

"So..." Alisa's voice took my attention away from the synthetic burger I had hardly bitten into, as well as the voices. Here we were, sitting together again the fourth time in a row, and she finally speaks up. Granted, it's not like I was in the mood to be an expert conversationalist...

"What did you do...before becoming a God Eater?"

I adjusted my sunglasses with the back of my hand. The only people who knew the answer to that was myself and the Director. I would never, could never, tell Kota... And the other members of the First Unit and I weren't exactly 'buddy buddy'.

It then hit me; everyone around the Den had already pegged Alisa for a haughty, stuck up brat know it all who thought herself higher than everyone else. Now, here she was trying to get to know me, most likely in an attempt to resist that idea. I could not relate too well, but could understand her desire to have at least one 'friend'.

But wasn't she already friends with Kiria?

"I was a mercenary for hire." I spoke, apparently catching her off guard. Her eyes snapped back up to me; I noticed a look of defeat rapidly fading away in her gaze. "There are scattered human survivors all over the world, most looking for protection against other survivors, instead of the Aragami. I was a mercenary who worked for those people..."

I let my eyes wander between my burger and Alisa. There was a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Humph. For a moment there, I thought you wouldn't reply." I picked up on the joking tone in her voice, as strained as it was. Why was she trying so hard to be nice to me? "So, you helped protect people even before you were a God Eater? You're more noble than I had first assumed, X."

I looked down, adjusting my sunglasses to an angle that would prevent her from seeing my eyes - from seeing my expression - from seeing my guilt.

"I protected people, yes."

She picked up on my sullen tone and remained silent. I could see her small smile droop.

"I protected the people who prayed on the already weak; the bandits who attacked defenseless camps, the vultures who raided graves that person's soul still hovered over, the monsters who did things that made Aragami truly look like Gods with every right to purify this world..."

I did not need to look at Alisa to confirm that she regretted asking me the question. I did not need to look at the burger to know that I no longer had the stomach for it.

"W...well..."

She began, obviously astounded by my answer.

"You had to become a God Eater for a reason, right?"

Was she trying to find the good in me? I inadvertently let out a hateful snort. Was there any good in me? I adjusted my sunglasses, reminding myself that I had answered that question long ago. Back when I still went by the name 'Silver'. Another war, another name...another person.

"Director Schicksal's team found me in the slums around this area. I put up a fight when they were trying to do apprehend me. Apparently, they appreciated the fighting spirit of a mongrel - and the skills I had picked up taking lives was an added bonus. I appreciated the money and stable source of food."

I took a bite of the synthetic burger solely for the sake of dramatics. I knew it wouldn't stay down for long. I stole a look Alisa's way as I chewed. Her expression was blank, her hand held near her face.

I had no intention of telling Alisa any of this, but Lindow's words still rang in my ears. I had made the first move, and Alisa called my bluff. I figured I may as well put all the chips on the table. Once again, whether or not Alisa made a move was on her.

"But," I began, placing the burger down and becoming suddenly remorseful. I hadn't meant to start speaking again, but talking about my past felt like a confession; or was I feeling this way because I was speaking to Alisa? "During the Iron Rain mission, my first mission with Soma, I had an epiphany."

Mention of my revelation must have given Alisa new hope in me, because the look of disgust she had - I _assumed_ she had - went away.

"His name was Eric der Vogelweide. He was introducing his...'magnificence' to me, and an Ogretail got him from above. I had already taken out a few of them myself back when I was a recruit, but something about how... sudden... it had happened caught me off guard. All I could do was watch as he was eaten alive in front of me. Soma stepped in, took out the Ogretail with a single blow, and we carried on as though it never happened."

By now, Alisa and I were the only ones in the cafeteria - the serving conveyor belt had stopped as well. I couldn't help but think the empty room was symbolic. But of what, eluded me.

"These were his." I spoke solemnly as I removed my - his - sunglasses. "They were the only thing, aside from his God Arc, to survive. You may think it selfish, but I denied his family these sunglasses, and held onto them so that I wouldn't forget about him, and the promise I made."

Alisa was still quiet. I was amazed that she was able to keep quiet when around someone that wasn't her superior. And even then, remembering how she back-talked Lindow.

_"Still, I'm your superior by a nanosecond!"_ Why would Kota's words come back to me now? Well, technically speaking, I held some form of seniority over her as a New-Type...

"What was your promise?" She asked me. I looked up at her, forgetting to put on his - my - sunglasses, and our eyes met. Her eyes were shimmering, genuinely interested pools of blue that I couldn't find the strength to resist.

"So long as I hold a God Arc," I began, looking at the red armlet on my wrist. "The only lives I take will be of the Aragami. No longer will I hurt another human being, take another human life, or stand idle while someone I care about is in danger. And I promise to live my life for myself, as well as those who have been lost in the fight against the Aragami."

I put back on my sunglasses and pushed my tray towards Alisa. She flinched; she blinks as though she is coming out of a trance. I slip out the side of the bench and stand. I clear my throat, unaccustomed to speaking for so long - particularly outside of battle when communication is the line between life and death - and head to the rookie section.

I could feel her gaze on my back. I stop at the first step and look over my shoulder. Alisa is still watching me, so I give her a wave. She returns it, and I head upstairs, stopping only when I reach my room door.

* * *

_**Third Person Narrative**_

'(It seems like I was meant to interact a lot today...)' X thought as he noticed someone's figure near the rookie dorms.

"Kiria?" X asked, looking at the orange haired girl staring at my room door. She jumped when he called her name and turned to face me.

"Oh, hello, X." Kiria cleared her throat and shifted her weight nervously. "Wh-what brings you here?"

X approached her and placed his hand on the control panel of his room door. He swiftly entered my code and pointed inside. "This is my room. That's what brings me here."

Kiria nodded, and X noticed that her face looked a bit red. "Right, right."

"Were you in need of something?" X asked, now reclining in the doorway.

"I was just," Kiria looked around. "Looking for Alisa." Kiria pointed to Alisa's room that was next to mine and across from Kota's. "But she's not here, so I'll be going."

"You were standing in front of _my _room though." X could sense that Kiria was beating around the bush, but what fruit that bush bore was unknown to him.

"Oh really?" Kiria forced a laugh. "I'll uh, keep that in mind."

"Did you want to speak with me, by chance?" This much was obvious to X, as she had been in front of _his_door. "I mean," He continued, "You know this is my room."

"N-no." Kiria assured him. "I don't have any reason to speak with you. I'll just-"

"Come in." X got off the wall and walked into my room. He went straight to the cabinet over the sink and retrieved a box of energy bars. "That's odd..." X shook the box. "This should have been full..."

"Lindow did it." Kiria blurted out. I looked over my shoulder at her still standing in the doorway. "He uh, ate your candy bars."

"Energy bars." X corrected. "And Amamiya ate a box of fifty energy bars by himself?"

Kiria shook her head. "We all did, the same day we met up in your room to discuss that Vajra."

"So that's what you cleaned up..." X sighed. '(I should have known better.)' "Ah," He then remembered another detail about that day. "That means I scolded you for no reason."

Kiria must have remembered it as well, because she tried to wave the situation away. "Don't worry about it." She then pointed to the elevator. "Well, like I said, I have no reason to speak with you-"

"But I have a reason to speak with you." X cut her off. "Come on in, and close the door behind you." X turned his back to Kiria and opened the mini fridge. He heard her footsteps enter his room and the door whoosh closed. X kept his back to Kiria, preparing drinks as she took a seat on the couch.

"Soda, juice, milk or water?" X asked her preference.

"Soda."

"Dark, colored or clear?" X had more drinks in his fridge than he realized...

"Dark."

"Cola, Cream or Root Beer?" '(Why do I have root beer? I don't like-)'

"Root Beer." Kiria cut X's thoughts short.

"Ice or no ice?"

"Is the soda cold?"

"Cold as ice." X assumed his comment answered his question.

"Then no ice." Kiria confirmed it.

"One root beer, no ice. One cream soda, low ice." X turned around and walked over with the drinks in hand. He passed Kiria hers and sat down on the couch.

"Thanks." She took a sip. X watched her before taking a sip of his soda. "What did you want to speak to me about?"

X finished about half of his soda before asking curtly. "Why didn't you visit me while I was in the hospital?"

Kiria's grip on her cup tightened. "I was busy." She looked away from him. "You know how missions go." She took another sip from her glass, keeping her eyes low.

"I see." X kept his tone neutral. "Would you like another?" He asked, standing up and holding out my hand for her enar empty cup.

"Yes please." She extended her hand to me. X received the cup and walked back to the mini fridge.

"Still," X poured her drink first from the can. "Missions for the entire week?" He let out a chuckle. "I'm surprised that you didn't end up as my roommate."

"Are you calling me weak?" Kiria was half joking and half serious, watching X as he walked back with both cups in hand.

"Not at all." X spoke as he sat down next to her. Kiria felt a bit uncomfortable by the sudden closeness, but did not show it. He handed her the cup and Kiria took it. "But I'd still like to know why you didn't visit me."

"I didn't think you'd want the company." Kiria looked away from X as she took a sip of her root beer.

"Do I seem that antisocial?" X sounded a bit downcast.

"Uh..." Kiria stammered.

"Nevermind that." X took agulp of his cream soda. "Still, I didn't turn any of the others away. Did you think I would turn you away?"

"You did kick Kanon out." Kiria's comment made X choke.

"How did-"

"We're both medics. We talk from time to time in the medical ward, as we attend to other God Eater's injuries and take stock of supplies." Kiria explained, setting her cup down on a coaster.

"I'll keep that in mind." X mumbled. "But Kanon's a special case, one who visited me nonetheless."

"Is it really such a big deal?" Kiria almost seemed...agrivated.

"Is it?" X countered with the same question. Kiria sensed something deeper to this conversation and opened her mouth to say something. But X cut her off. "Maybe seeing me in the hospital would have brought back some bad memories?"

Kiria's eyes widened and locked onto X. He turned his head away from her, sipping his soda innocently. "What are you-"

X placed his cup down and stood up. He walked a few paces away from the table and now faced the image of an open field in his room. "Danielle Warwick." X remained stationary as he heard Kiria's footsteps approach him from behind.

"How do you know that name?" Kiria's words were on his neck.

"I read your file-"

"You're a recently promoted private," Kiria growled. "You shouldn't have that level of access -"

"I read everyone's files." X cut her off. "The God Eaters who were here before me, and those who joined after me."

"What would you have to gain from knowing everything about the other God Eaters?"

"Leverage." X answered coldly. "But we're not talking about me right now. We're talking about a particular mission that took place last year, in November, between two God Eaters who were sent out with poor intel."

X felt Kiria's hand on his shoulder. He had been expecting this; the girl forced him to turn around and clamped her hands on his collar. She pressed him against the wall, X's feet a few inches off the floor. "Shut up..." Kiria hissed beneath her breath.

"Danielle Warwick, Assault-type Sergeant, transferred to the American Branch, Alpha Sector on April Fifth, 2070. Your sixteenth birthday, and the same day you were recruited."

"I said shut up..." Kiria's voice broke a bit but it was still threatening.

"Sergeant Danielle Warwick quickly became a mentor to Kiria Jean. They not only spend most of their time together, but they are also very compatible when it comes to fighting." X had memorized this particular portion of Kiria's file. "This needs further investigation; is this development because of Kiria's status as a New-Type, or do they just get along well? Will experiment with other God Eaters, starting with other Ranged Class God Eaters."

"I said shut up!" Kirira roared, her eyes beginning to sting.

"July fifteenth, 2071. A Vajra was spotted along the coastline. Two other teams were dispatched to take it out, but they were unsuccessful. Sending in Kiria and Danielle to search for survivors."

Kiria's grip on X slackened, and X felt his feet touch the ground. He pushed himself off of the wall, causing Kiria to stumble backwards. She fell butt first, and stared down at the floor as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Upon returning, the two God Eaters registered a whopping twenty seven God Arcs at the Vajra's known last location for extraction. The God Eaters in question were no where to be found, and deemed Killed In Action."

"Stop..." Kiria sobbed, not noticing X adjust his clothes.

"August twentith, 2070. Kiria Jean elevated to Private status. Both God Eaters openly express the desire to seek revenge on the rogue Vajra that has been cutting down our numbers. Taking their request into consideration, as our numbers are dwindling."

"Don't..." Kiria no begged, looking up at X. X crouched low to her, removing his sunglasses and looking her square in the face. "Don't make me remember..."

"September first, 2070." X pressed on. "The Vajra, now dubbed 'Killer Chimera', has been spotted prowling around in the states between Alpha and Delta sectors. Both sectors will be deploying God Eaters in a joint attempt to take it out."

"Please..." Kiria was hardly audible. Wet marks stained the wooden floor Kiria kneeled on, yet X pressed on, not even blinking as he reached the climax.

"September twenty fourth. An eight man God Eater team was deployed in a final effort to eradicate 'Killer Chimera'. Private Kiria Jean, being considered for early promotion, and Sergeant Danielle Warwick were a part of that team, along with two other Alpha Sector God Eaters."

Kiria's eyes widened as the memories flooded into her. "I...remember that day..." He voice was haggard. "It...it wasn't just a Vajra..."

"According to SOS reports from the team, the intel we had was incorrect," X was spitting the report back at Kiria without flaw. "There were multiple targets. More than we could have ever imagined. It would have taken a team of at least twenty God Eaters and a full blown army backing them up to even consider the odds even."

"There were Ogretails..." Kiria closed her eyes but still saw everything. "Zygotes, Cocoon Maidens, at least six Vajra..." Kiria's eyes snapped open and she stared X in the eyes. "And..."

"The only survivor, Private Kiria Jean, suffered from several fatal injuries and partial mental shut down. Upon her discovery, miles away from the drop point, Kiria was cradling the lifeless upper half of Sergeant Warwick, singing 'Happy Birthday' to the corpse."

"It wasn't fair..." Kiria sniffled. "She had gotten me a present for my birthday and I..." Kiria gripped her pants and wailed "But I couldn't save her! She taught me everything I know..." Kiria looked up from the floor and her gaze made X flinch. "But nothing I did could save her! I wasn't strong enough to stop the blue Vajra..."

'(Blue Vajra?)' X wondered if he had heard Kiria correctly. She was in a very emotional state but her speech didn't seem impaired.

"I didn't know how to stop her bleeding..." Kiria placed her hands on her head, now gripping her red headphones. "This is all I have to remember her by... because everything I knew, everything she taught me...wasn't enough..."

X sighed, and decided to wrap up the report. "September thirtieth, 2070. Private Kiria Jean still shows no signs of progress. While her injuries are beginning to heal, there are no responses to mental stimuli. She is also very protective of a pair of red headphones. They appear to be an emotional crutch, as she goes berserk when they are out of her line of sight." Kiria now curled into herself and sobbed quietly.

"October eighth, 2070. Kiria Jean is sent to Fenrir HQ for further analysis. We cannot afford for one of our few New-Types to break down and lose their worth. October twenty third, 2070. Even after heavy medical dosages, Kiria's depression continues to be overwhelming. As much of a waste as it would be, Fenrir HQ is considering euthanizing the Private. No need to have her suffer and our finances to be wasted."

"December twenty fifth, 2070. With the American Branch overrun with Aragami, Fenrir HQ has no where to place the now rankless former God Eater Kiria Jean. The subject in question's Oracle Cells have proven to be stronger than anticipated; lethal doses of several injections have only dulled her motor skills. Possible cause for experimentation?"

X readjusted himself so that he was sitting in front of Kiria. The girl had clearly ran out of tears, and now sat motionless. "Why are you..." Kiria cut herself off. "I don't care anymore..." Kiria's stare bore into X, but the Private did not hesitate to continue.

"February third, 2071. Director Schicksal of the Far East Branch has expressed interest in Kiria Jean. After the heavy expenses Fenrir HQ faced, they were more than happy to hand her over to Johannes von Schicksal. The transfer process from Fenrir HQ's medical facilities to the Far East Branch should take one full year, as Kiria needs to be reinstated for God Eater duty, a well as checked for physical, mental and emotional trauma.

"April Fifth, 2071. Kiria Jean turns seventeen today. Her check ups have been accelerated due to funds provided by Director Johannes von Schicksal of the Far East Branch. She is projected to be battle ready within four months. June First, 2071. An amazing breakthrough; after months of treatment and rehabilitation, and the added aid of one Dr. Daigo Oguruma, Kiria Jean exhibited an almost complete recovery. Battle simulations show most of her skill is intact, but she should not be placed under serious strain too early into her readmission.

June fourth, 2071, Kiria Jean is instated to the Far East Branch's First Unit Retaliation Squad as a recruit, along with fellow New-Type God Eater and patient of Dr. Daigo Oguruma, Alisa Ilinichina Amiella. However, unlike Alisa, Kiria is allowed to freely attend mental check-ups at her own discretion."

X's room now fell silent as the two New-Types simply stared at one another. X went into his pocket and retrieved a handkerchief. He gave it to Kiria who accepted it hesitantly.

"You planned this..." Kiria wiped the tear streaks from her face. X's silence was enough of an answer for her. "Why?"

"Because I need to know why Schicksal went through so much trouble to get his hands on you. To get his hands on Alisa..." After a moment of debating, X added. "To get his hands on me."

Kiria gave him a confused look, but did not ask any questions. "Did you see Danielle's picture?" X nodded, knowing where this was going. "She's pretty, isn't she?"

X nodded again before speaking. "White hair to her shoulders. Gentle eyes. I can see why you were so attached to her." X's voice held no sentiment.

"Alisa...kind of reminds me of her." Kiria admitted after three minutes of silence. "But I guess you already figured out that's why I'm with he so much." X said nothing; he checked his watch and saw it was almost eight pm.

"Are you hungry?" X asked. "Better yet, can you make it tot he cafeteria?" Kiria shook her head, which did not surprise X. "I've got some food here. You're more than welcome to eat with me."

Kiria gazed at X with a glossy look in her eyes. "Why are you being so kind all of a sudden?"

"Kanon told me it's not nice of a guy to make a girl cry." He then shrugged. "So feeding you is the least I could do to make-"

"That's not what I mean." Kiria sat up, angling herself towards X. "When I first joined, you were a bit harsh. But now, you seem...human."

X looked away from Kiria and put his sunglasses on his face. "Orders." He felt Kiria put her hand on his shoulder. He looked from her hand to her face.

"Take it from someone who had no one for such long time," Kiria's voice was heavy. "Being alone, even if it's by choice, isn't the way to live." X remained silent as Kiria tried to read his face. Kiria pulled her hand away from X and shrank back into herself. "But I guess you wouldn't get it."

X rose an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Kiria brushed her hair from her face and spoke sharply. "I've seen eyes like yours before. " X felt a shiver go down his spine. "While you may be acting a bit more human, nothing inside of you has changed."

X reeled back on his hands, and stood up. "I'll get started cooking, then." X walked to the table and retrieved the two cups, the contents now luke warm. He poured the sodas down the drain, and heard Kiria behind him all too late. He turned around on his heel, and found Kiria's face too close for comfort.

"Are you really dating Licca?" Kiria was straight forward.

"What makes you ask that?" X couldn't help but think of Dr. Paylor Sakaki as he leaned back instinctively.

"Answer the question." Kiria ordered in a no nonsense tone.

'(Like that would make me answer)' X thought to himself. "No." He blinked; what just happened? He had no intention of telling Kiria anything...

"So the rumors," Kiria still sounded skeptic. "Are just rumors?"

'(Alright, that first time was a fluke. This time, I'll definitely keep my mouth shut.)' "Yes." X bit his tongue; he did it again.

Kiria backed away from X, standing straight. "I see."

"What's got you so interested in rumors about me?" X asked, popping his back.

"I..." Kiria flinched at the sound of X's back crack. "Wanted to know where Lindow drew the line between joking and telling the truth." Kiria listened to a third pop. "You might want to get that checked out. Those sounded-"

"It's nothing." X turned back to the sink and opened the cabinets. He felt Kiria's hands on his shoulders. "why are you touching me?" X's tone was wary.

"You're tense." Kiria began to rub X's shoulders and shoulder blades. "When's the last time you stretched?"

"Right before some lifts with Lindow in the weight room." X spoke, slowing realizing that he was enjoying the back rub.

"Have you taken a hot shower since then?" Kiria asked. "Muscles need to be relaxed after heavy lifting. It can cause you serious injury – not to mention you could catch a cramp in the middle of a fight with the Aragami."

X let out a sigh. "I didn't even know that hurt..." He retrieved two plates and set them on the counter top. "But do you mind letting me finish up? I'm a bit hungry myself."

Kiria retracted her hands sheepishly. "Sorry." X looked over his shoulder and found Kiria looked a bit red in the face. "Sometimes I get ahead of myself when it comes to check-ups."

X waved it off. "It just feels weird."

"Was I bad?" Kiria's usual monotone sounded a bit downtrodden.

X shook his head. "No, I mean, getting a back massage from you after...that whole thing I put you through."

"You're sounding human again." Kiria spoke bluntly.

"Would you prefer if I didn't?" X half joked.

"Yes." Kiria was dead serious. "You're not very good at it."

X paused for a moment. "You're one to talk..." He muttered. He cringed when he felt Kiria's fist in his back and a sharp pain in his ribcage. "That was a cheap shot..."

"Then we're even." Kiria hissed. "For catching me off guard and speaking about Danielle."

"Fair enough... X grunted. "I'll just shut up and cook." X bore the pain and retrieved a few ingredients from the fridge, aware of Kiria watching him. "By the way..." X began as he chopped something into small pieces. "I'm not sorry."

Kiria was sullen as X chopped away. A fragment of a smile appeared on her face and she replied "I know you're not." X stopped chopping for just a second; he was sure she sounded...happy. He shrugged it off, regretting the action when he felt his shoulder tense up.

"Girls are weird..." X muttered. He regretted that, too, when Kiria struck him a second time...

_**Page Break**_

"I spy with my little eye, something that starts with O!"

"Feit," Leader's voice was beyond weary. "You can't _see_ oxygen..."

Feit gasped. "How did you know?"

"Because it's always the same order with- " Leader's voice, and the terminal it came from, cut off.

"Finally!" Feit kicked the terminal, causing it to shake. "Insufferable battery life. Now that it's cut off..." Feit stood up and clicked the cord hanging over head. The bare bulb flickered on, revealing a walk in closet. The beaten up terminal shook to a stop, the last bit of light fading from the screen. The white, tile floor was littered with a vast assortment of clothing articles for both genders. There were more clothes hanging on hangers and wall racks. Feit stretched.

"Man, siting still for three day and seven hours is no easy task..." He clicked his tongue. "My butt went numb." He slapped his posterior and turned towards the closet doors. He opened them, and stepped out. The room was painted black, and there were torture machines scattered about. There was a torture rack, one of Feit's personal favorites. One tied their prey down hands up and feet apart and turned the crank, causing the bonds to pull in separate motions. Another torture device was the 'Iron maiden'; a seven foot tall steel coffin with a series of needles that were razor sharp and went only skin deep, but if one were to repeatedly open and close the iron maiden, those small pokes would grow to full blown holes and their prey would bleed a slow and painful death.

Feit made his way across the room to a bed of spikes. He let out a yawn, and placed his hand on the spikes. He forced his hand down until the spikes broke his skin. With a satisfied smile, Feit turned around and promptly jumped back first onto the bed.

"Home sweet home," he cooed, feeling the spikes stab him in countless areas. "Oh wait, I have a visitor coming over!" Feit too his time getting up, intentionally shifting his body and weight so that his skin would be punctured several times over. He then exited that room, and looked up a dark and narrow stairway. His 'hidey hole' as he called it, had only that one room and closet, but it was all he needed. He walked up the steps and tried the slanted metal double doors again.

"Still locked from the outside..." He huffed and checked the time on a black watch on his right wrist. "Oh ho! Three, two...one..." There was the sound of a loud clink from just outside the double doors. Feit grinned as three more lock chambers clicked, and the doors creaked open. "Right on time." Feit's grin became sinister as light poured in from the outside world. He smiled at his rescuer -

"What the hell are _you _doing back here?" Feit's grin vanished and acid dripped from his tone. "Didn't I instruct you to remain hidden outside and as _far away _from here as possible? If Leader finds you here -" Feit took a few steps back as his rescuer jumped down. He stared the girl whose single maroon eye wavered with uncertainty.

"Silver's still alive." She uttered.

"Duh!" Feit stuck his tongue out. "I told you that!" He sighed and held his forehead. "I swear, teenagers with attitude could be such a pain-"He stopped when he noticed her tone. "Oh. It's the actual you, isn't it?"

"You told me Silver died!" The girl gripped her dress in a vain attempt to keep herself calm.

"Ugh..." Feit sighed. He made a fist and raised his hand to the girl's face. The girl gasped, seeing his Feit all too late. He then plucked her eyepatch right in the center of the white circle. "Hush, Charm."

A brief second of silence and uncertainty. Charm's good eye fluttered, and she looked around as though she were lost. "What am I doing back here?" Her voice was just as insane as Feit's. "I'm not supposed to be here. That goes against the plan."

"Ms. Goody Two-Shoes got control and came back here. No doubt to harass me about our target."

"You mean Private X07?" The insane Charm's laughter was maniacal. "He's been taken care of-"

"Nope, he's still alive and kicking." Charm's expression became one of disbelief. "Yeah; Ms. Goody Two Shoes took the Vajra prematurely. While she couldn't stop it from doing its task, she did interrupt the stasis process." Feit moved his hand from his forehead to his chin. "Still, I didn't think ol' X07 had it in him to take it out, much less alone."

"He's...still alive?" Charm gritted her teeth. "I failed." She gripped her short hair and began to pull ferociously. "I've fa-" Feit swatted her with the back of his hand. The girl crumbled to the ground like an accordion.

"Damn it." Feit rubbed the back of his hand. "Now when she wakes up, she'll be Charm, instead of my insane little experiment..." Feit's watch beeped. "Speaking of experiments..." Feit kicked Charm in the torso. "Get up." He commanded coldly. Charm let out a small moan and slowly got up to her hands and knees. "I don't care which one of you this is, but go and crawl into your hole. Daddy has guests coming over and the help shouldn't be in the presence of important people."

Charm began coughing violently. Feit sighed and crouched to her side. "What's wrong? Did I break a rib?" Feit taunted with a laugh. He watched as Charm looked at him with hatred in her eye. "Too bad." Feit deadpanned, grabbing Charm by the hair. "Now, Goody Goody, go and get into your hole," He threw Charm down the narrow hallway into the torture room. "Before I get _angry_."

Charm rolled a few times until she hit a curved spike on the bed. She wailed, as she felt the spike dig into her shoulder. "Son of a..." Feit groaned. "You went and got yourself injured..." Feit turned away from Charm and walked up the stairs. He looked around the area for a moment. "As barren as always..." He murmmured before hitting a particular brick. He then ducked back inside, and listened as the locks automatically engaged, lockig him in once more.

He looked back into the torture room, to find Charm had vanished. "What a pesky little..." Feit walked into the torture room and looked around. The small drips of blood were a giveaway to Charm's movements. "Hiding in the iron maiden. Eh?" Feit laughed sinisterly as he approached the torture machine. "I know you haven't been punished in a while, but it'll have to wa-" He opened it, and found it empty.

"She got me." Feit muttered a second before he felt Charm's skinny frame push him from behind. He let out a yelp as the spikes bore into his front. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Charm slam the iron maiden close and she clicked the pad lock closed.

"Still..." He coughed up a bit of blood. "Putting up a fight, eh?" Although he had been impaled numerous times, Feit grinned. "Good. It would be boring if you broke after only two years." Feit wiggled his fingers, watching as Charm rushed into the closet. His grin became vile when he felt one spike in particular. He pressed down on it, and the cover to the iron maiden popped off of the hinges. The cover swung and hit the wall since it was attached to the back piece by the lock. His body dripping his own blood, Feit slowly advanced towards the closet doors.

"By now you've realized the power died." Feit controlled his voice so he still sounded far away. "I'll admit, you got me. It sure does suck to be stuck in this thing." He remained still as he heard Charm shuffle in the closet. "You wouldn't want to let me out, would you?" He wheezed; the iron maiden had hurt him more than anticipated. "For old times sake?"

"Go to hell!" Charm's voice echoed from the closet as the doors opened. She yelled, clearly shocked to see Feit free. He grabbed her by the throat, ending her yell early.

"Only if you come with me, Charmaine." His white teeth glistened from the closet light. There was a sudden thump from behind Feit. Feit, his left hand on Charm's throat, lifted his right hand to check his watch. "Damn it all."

He heard the sound of the first lock disengaging. Feit made his way to the spike bed, dragging along a struggling Charm. He gripped the bent spike that bore Charm's blood and pulled. The bed lifted up, revealing a dark pit beneath it. Upon seeing it, Charm began to squeak in fear.

"Into your hole," Feit growled angrily. "Little mouse!" Feit hefted Charm over the hole and released her. She let out a short gasp before falling in. Feit swiftly lowered the bed back into place, smiling when he heard it click. He then looked at Charm's blood on his palm and smiled. He licked her blood from his hand and a heavenly smile grace his lips.

"Aww...that's the stuff!" He cooed. He made his way to the iron maiden, lapping the blood off of his hand like a dog, and fixed the coffin-like apparatus. He looked around the room as the last lock disengaged, and Feit sat down on the floor, cross-legged. He pressed the soles of his feet together and rolled around on his buttocks.

Footsteps echoed in the narrow hallway, and eventually, a familiar and muscular frame stepped into the light of the torture room. "You're as disgusting as ever, Feit." The female voice snarled. She dropped a large, brown paper bag down in the doorway.

"Imp!" Feit greeted her, clapping his feet. "Of all the faces to see, yours is my favorite!" Feit cackled and added "No other face makes my puke so rancid – oof!" The woman known as Imp drove her boot into his face, causing blood to splatter on the floor. Feit rolled backwards four times before hitting the wall. Now sprawled out ont he floor, feit chuckled. "Thank you, ma'am." He sat up, grinning at Imp with blood dripping from his teeth. "May I have another?"

Imp, dusting her combat boot off with her hand, scoffed. "Freak." She then looked over the rest of her attire; clay red and beige camouflage pants, a red tanktop and a brown aviator jacket. None of which bore Feit's blood, to her relief. The woman looked around and scratched her buzz cut head. "So, how did you manage to get trapped in your own rat nest?" The torture devices did not bother Imp, but the bleak color did.

"I was attacked." Feit spoke in a bored tone. "I fell asleep right outside the entrance to my hidey-hole, and whoever it was locked me inside."

"Why not just unlock it?" Imp inspected the room closely.

"Because I designed that lock myself. It can only be opened from the side it was locked." Feit closed his eyelids enough for them to appear closed. He watched Imp as she turned her head and looked around; no doubt she was following an order from their Leader.

"It looks like you've been busy recently." She pointed to the fresh blood stains on the floor. "Those look new."

"You busted both my lips." Feit chewed his lips and felt several splits.

"Those are gravitational drops, not blood splatter." Imp deduced instantly. Feit opened his eyes and gave her a blank look.

"Oh, you're still here?" Imp's eye brow twitched at that comment. "I would have figured you got bored being around a man and-" Feit, who was sitting up right ont he wall, pushed off of the tile with his hands and feet. He went air-borne just as Imp's foot stomped down on where his genitalia lay seconds ago.

"You still have no type of tact, Feit." Imp snarled, staring at the man doing a handstand over her combat boot.

"And you're still ugly!" Feit wagged his tongue; he ended up biting it when Imp raised her foot and kicked him in the top of his head. Feit fell to the floor in a jumbled mess. Imp pulled her foot back, and saw some of Feit's blood was on her boot. She let out a sound of disgust and retrieved an a large alcohol pad from her coat pocket.

"Can't you go one day without bleeding all over me?" She complained as she wiped the blood off of her boot.

"Sorry," Feit offered weekly. "We men don't bleed once a mon – oh god, my organs!" Feit, now pinned to the wall and a foot off the floor by Imp's right foot, coughed. It felt like a lung was coming up...

"That's not even homophobic," Imp growled. "That's just sexist."

"I'm not homophobic, I just hate you." Feit choked out before Imp applied more pressure to his solar plexus. "Still," Feit lifted a finger, which looked odd since he was upside down. "No one told you to fit that old lesbian stereotypical look."

"And no one asked _you _to be as creepy and degenerative as you are."

"Hey!" Feit squeaked out a counter. "Those bodies were still warm!"

Imp nearly wretched. She removed her foot from Feit's stomach and turned her side to him. "There's nothing wrong with liking your own gender." She turned her head to Feit and sharply shouted "But there's nothing _right _with what you do!"

Feit placed his hands on the floor and performed a hand spring. Now on his feet, Feit calmly replied. "Someone's gotta have the balls to do it." Feit ducked a kick from Imp. "Oh come on, that one wasn't meant to be offensive!" Feit ducked a second kick, this time pivoting on his heel and aiming to trip Imp. Imp saw this coming and swiftly switched her balancing leg with her kick leg. Her right leg now off the ground, she brought down the heel of her combat boot -

And missed Feit by an inch. With a cackle, the man coiled himself around her left leg and stood up. His body wrapped around her leg throwing off her weight, Imp fell. She hit the tile with a thud and stared up at Feit.

"I forgot you were a contortionist..."

Feit laughed, stretching his arms over his head and bringing them completely over his head. He then bent his right leg at his knee and pushed it through his open arms. Now at a diagonal angle, Feit jumped through his open arms, landing squarely on his groin. He grinned at Imp who was sitting up, his legs over his shoulders and his hands now supporting his weight beneath his posterior.

"That...is disgusting..." Imp shuddered, standing erect.

"You're just upset that I'm more flexible than you are!" Feit laughed, clapping his feet over his shoulders.

"Why don't you stuff it while you're down there?" Imp made her way towards the narrow stairwell. "Leader says since the Vajra mission was a bust, our inital plan has to go off without a hitch." Imp was walking backwards, as she didn't trust Feit with her back.

"Oh, the thing with the stuff?" Feit scrambled himself, and ended up standing erect. Imp never understood how he did that... "Okay. Let him know that – I have to take the world's longest leak..." Imp stepped to the side as Feit rushed up towards the stopped, and looked in the paper bag. "ooh, rations!" He dove in and pulled out a few items. "Canned whatever the hecks, bottled who cares, oh ho ho ho!"

He turned back to Imp with a sickening grin. "I see you got me the earthworms!"

"Yeah," Imp looked at the clear jar containing the long, pink and brown creatures. "What did you need them for, anyway?" She watched as Feit opened the jar and sniffed the contents.

"Nice," He complimented Imp. "you got their original composed soil, too."

"What did you need them for?" Imp asked again. She cringed when feit stuck his hand into the jar and pulled out the largest and fattest earthworm in the jar.

"Protein!" Feit laughed. Imp looked away, holding her mouth. Even though she could not see it, she could hear Feit happily smacking his lips as he chewed. "That his the spot!" Feit was closing the jar when a green wrapper caught his eye. He reached into the bag and pulled out an energy bar.

"They still make these?" He sounded amazed.

"Yeah," Imp let out a nostalgic laugh. "Silver loved those. He'd go ballistic if he were still around. Our new hideout has a ton of those things just sitting around."

Feit dropped the energy bar into the bag and looked at Imp. "If he were still around?" He repeated, sounding confused.

"Yeah," Imp now sounded suspicious. "Even you couldn't have forgotten that Silver left us. You're not that dumb."

Feit grew stern as a thought entered his mind. "So you don't know..." He whispered, looking down.

"I don't know what?" Imp was suddenly closer to Feit than when he had looked down.

"You don't know your butt from your head!" Feit laughed, jumping back to avoid a punch. He rushed up the stairs, stepping barefoot onto the dead terrain. He looked back at the open doors with an evil grin. "Hold down the fort!" Feit kicked the rock next to the large metal doors.

"You bastard!" Imp rushed up the stairs, but didn't reach the doors in time. She listened as the four locks engaged, sealing her inside. "Let me out this instant!"

"You've got rations!" Feit's voice cakcled beyind the doors. "And the piss pot is behind the rope drawer! I'll be back tomorrow night – keep yourself busy 'til then!"

"Feit, you good for nothing necrophiliac!"

"That's what your mother said!" Feit's cackle echoed loudly on the empty landscape and in Imp's heart. "No she didn't, she was dead!" Feit jumped up and clicked his heels. "Later, hater!" Feit, his arms full of rations, trotted off, listening to Imp's fists banging on the doors.

"Oh crap," He stopped walking an hour later, looking back. "I forgot Charm was down there with nothing to eat..." He then laughed hysterically. "It's still too good for her!" His laughter echoed through the empty buildings around the outskirts of the City of Mercy. He then stopped laughing and spoke quietly. "She was bleeding, wasn't she? She'd better not die before I get back!" Feit stomped up the stairs of an empty building angrily. He stopped again, and reconsidered his earlier statement.

"She had better still be warm, at least!" Feit walked up to the rooftop level and retrieved his personal communicator, balancing his rations in one arm. He opened the communicator and hit a speed dial button. He set his rations down, and gazed at the center of the City of Mercy from above the large building with a giant doughnut shaped hole in the center.

"Ah, it's you." The voice greeted him.

"Hey hey, Feit here." Feit then sighed, "But you knew that. I'm just letting you know that everything is right as rain on my end."

The voice was hesitant. "Are you sure?"

"You choose now of all times to doubt me?" Feit snarled into the phone.

"N-no!" The voice choked. "It's just that we can't afford for anything to go wrong-"

"Relax, I'm a professional." Feit raised his shirt, baring a multitude of scars on his torso as well as a utility belt on his waist. He ran his finger along a number of vials and selected one containing a blue fluid. "You ordered another Vajra, right?"

"As bait, yes." Feit could hear voices in the background speaking of medical supplies and the like. "But what I really needed.."

"Prithivi Mata, right?" Feit read the label on the vial. "I got it covered."

"Yes, and a multitude of them." The voice chuckled. "Enough to take out an entire platoon of God Eaters."

Feit whistled. "Okay." He retrieved two more vials. "And my associates and I are guaranteed a spot in the Director's new world, right?"

"Yes." The voice sounded certain. "So long as everything goes as planned."

"Good," Feit uncorked one vial and chugged it down. "This world is getting a bit too boring, anyway, what with everyone hiding behind walls and censuses and the like." He uncorked a second vial and stared at the blue liquid inside. "It makes it hard for our Leader to spread his worthy cause."

"And the Director guarantees that your Leader's cause will be carried over into the new world!" The voices in the background called the voice's name. "I have to go."

"Yup, your day job." Feit laughed as he polished off the third vial. "Take it easy with those God Eaters; leave me a few to play around with, alright?" The call clicked off and Feit fumed. "Some people have no common courtesy for their fellow man." Feit broke the final vial in his hand and laughed ominously.

"Like me!" He unzipped his pants, and proceeded to release the world's longest leak...

_And that's chapter seventeen! Man, a lot of interesting details in this chapter, some straight forward and some that will require some deductive thinking to decipher. Leave a review with what you thought of this chapter, and be on the look out for the next update!_

_It'll be a real heart stopper._

_Until next time, fans. Keep on trucking!_

_X.K._


	18. Chapter 18

**Don't Run Away**

_I specifically replayed this mission several times on my MAJOR female character slot, just to get this chapter down. Hope reliving all those feels were worth it..._

**Chapter 18 – A Moment Of The End – Part One**

**Mission: Moon In The Welkin**

**Mission Objective: Hunt One Vajra**

X let out a grunt as he woke up. He had had a weird dream; he was surrounded by large, black quadruped figures with blue streaks emanating from behind them. The sky was replaced by the face of a woman with a wicked smile and there were screams coming from all around. He had recognized each voice with indistinguishable clarity.

Because those voices belonged to the members of the First Unit.

"Odd." He grumbled, sitting up in bed. He checked the alarm clock on the wooden frame of his bed. It was nearly afternoon. "I'm sleeping late again, too." He pulled himself out of bed, although he still felt groggy and went to take a shower. As he worked shampoo through his hair, a memory from his past seeped into his mind. Suddenly, the sweet smell of the shampoo made his stomach feel weak.

"_What's wrong, Silver?" Leader asked the young boy._

"_I had a weird dream..."_

"_Oh? What happened in that dream?" Leader sat down on the ground next_

"_I don't wanna talk about it. Silver was somber._

"_Afraid that your dream was really a vision of the future?"_

"_That's ridiculous." Silver shook his head. "Nothing like that is possible."_

"_You'd be surprised, Silver," Leader laughed. He then held his left arm towards the sky. Silver watched as Leader closed his hand, pretending his fingers wrapped around a cloud, and pulled it towards his chest. "Humans are attuned to the cosmos, each of us have cosmic power within us, and that power allows us-"_

"_I already know our cause," Silver cut off Leader, looking away from the man. "Besides, that's stupid, too." Leader frowned at the boy but said nothing. The two sat in silence, listening to the sound of the hustle and bustle of their small community. Leader peeked over the edge of the factory building and watched the people of his group at work._

"_They'd be sad to hear you say that, Silver." Silver looked back at Leader, and then at the people going about their day. "I know it's only forty of us now," Leader continued, his voice full of aspiration. "But soon, there will be just enough of us and our dream can begin."_

"_Dream?" Silver then remembered what Leader had told him and the four others. "Oh, that." Leader nodded, looking away from the people._

"_Our cause is all we have left for us, Silver," Leader laughed. "And if our people heard you, our number one warrior, call it stupid...well..." Leader's laughter stopped and he shivered. "It wouldn't be pretty for any of us." Leader stood up, and began to walk back towards the rooftop entrance for the factory._

"_And it certainly wouldn't be pretty for you, Silver." Silver recognized that tone of voice; it was the tone his Leader used right before he ordered someone executed. As Silver listened to the footsteps of his Leader getting further and further away, he decided that maybe his dream __**did **__have some significance_

"_In my dream," Silver heard Leader stop. "You and I were fighting."_

"_That's it?" Leader sounded bored. "We fight all the time."_

"_Only..." Leader's expression darkened at Silver's tone. "My dream always starts in the middle of the fight, and one of us has already lost."_

_Leader shifted his weight between his feet but did not turn back to face Silver. "That means this isn't the first time you've had this dream..."_

"_This is the fifth time this week." Silver spoke lowly. "And it gets more and more real each time." Leader remained quiet as he continued walking to the roof door. It wasn't until Silver heard the door open did Leader say:_

"_Get back to work. That should keep your mind off of trivial things."_

_The door closed, and Silver leaned over the side of the building to watch the people at work. The all wore white robe, day in and day out. When Silver asked Leader why, he said it was for a sense of unity. But when he asked Feit, Feit laughed and said 'What other color would a sheep wear?' "Sheep?" Silver had no idea what the word meant at the time, but looked it up in one of the few old-world books they had. They were animals domesticated by man and kept around for their wool. Silver kind of understood what Feit meant by addressing them as sheep, at least he thought he did. But one thing was for certain..._

_Leader was now addressing him as though he wore those robes..._

X inhaled slowly and deeply, trying to calm himself. He was in his room on his hands and knees, trying to fight back the urge to be sick. He heard a door automatically open and tried to get to his feet before -

"Whoa, X!" Kota voice couldn't have been any more intrusive. "You alright, buddy?" By the time Kota finished his sentence, he was already trying to help X get up.

"I'm fine." X hardly fooled himself. He was covered in sweat, although he had just showered, and his legs were trembling.

"I don't know man," Kota began respectfully. "Maybe you should lie down for a minute, just in case."

"If it'll shut you up..." X didn't have the strength to bicker with Kota. He allowed the gunner to help him up and support his weight. Together, they walked to X's bed, and Kota helped the New-Type sit down.

"What happened?" Kota asked, bending to X's level. "You seemed fine before you went to the showers." Kota then gasped and his eyes narrowed. "You didn't almost pass out because you happened to see a girl on her way out... did you?" In an even lower and almost inaudible voice Kota asked "Was it Kinaia?"

Now that he was sitting down and the memory was behind him, X felt his strength returning. He made a fist and swung at Kota. The gunner was across the room before X's hand was even in the air.

"Aw man," Kota sounded shocked. "You must really be out of it if I could dodge one of those! Do you need to see Sakaki?"

"It's just a night terror, Kota." X huffed, throwing himself backwards on his bed. He wanted to lift his legs up and lie down correctly, but his legs didn't respond. "I'm almost back to normal now." X lied.

"I'unno," Kota sensed something was still amiss. "When I get back from gunner training with Gina, Alisa and Kanon, I'll -"

"Just go." X waved him away. "I'll be up and about by then." Kota realized that X was trying to push him away. If he weren't already late, Kota would have pushed the subject.

"Alright, I'll go," Kota hesitated but then spoke up. "But if you're not better by the time I get back, I'm taking you to Sakaki's."

"Fair enough." X grumbled. "Now go. You're giving me a headache on top of all this." Kota heard X let out a chuckle, and that helped ease his nerves.

"Sure, sure." Kota walked out of the door, looking back at X one final time. He saw X sit up, and shake his head. X shot Kota a last look – at least Kota assumed so, since he was wearing sunglasses - but said nothing. X stood up on his own and walked to the door. Without a word, he closed the door on Kota's face.

"You're probably late already, Kota." X's words snapped Kota's attention back to his current task.

"Aw man, you're right!" Kota jogged to the elevator, giving a happy cheer when it opened up on his level. His happiness waned when he saw Soma stepping out of the elevator. Soma looked up, and let out a small grunt as Kota bumped into him. The gunner fell back on his butt, and even rolled backwards.

Kota sprang up in an instant, and was in the elevator in the blink of an eye. "Sorry!" He laughed to Soma. "Running late!" The elevator doors dinged and began to close.

"Run late," Soma shot back through the closing doors. "But don't run into me!"

"You hardly felt anything!" Kota got the last word before the elevator started going down.

"Damn it," Soma sucked his teeth. He had wanted the last word. "Rookies." He then turned back to the rooms and walked straight down the hall. He stopped in front of X's room door and knocked once. "Hey, wake up."

To Soma's mild surprise, X opened the door. He was already dressed for the day and looked like he had been on a mission already. At least, judging by the glossy sheen of sweat on his brow...

"Oh? So you're awake?" Soma commented. "Good."

"What is it?" X sounded a bit irritated. Soma didn't pay that any mind, however.

"There's a report saying a Vajra's been spotted in the city, and our unit's been requested to stay on standby until further notice." Soma updated him. "While the report was submitted by a civilian, we can't just ignore it. Our team's supposed to be you, me, Sakuya and-" Soma remembered their fourth member and groaned. "That brat just ran off, didn't he?"

"Kota?" X relayed the team Soma just told him. It was their voices he had heard in his dream... "Yeah, he just went for some gunner training."

"Whatever." Soma shrugged. "It's just standby. If we're lucky, we won't be called in." Soma turned away from X. "Don't wander off." Soma headed towards the elevator. X watched Soma, who suddenly stopped halfway down the hall. "Get yourself checked out if you feel sick."

X grit his teeth as Soma continued to the elevator, finishing his sentence with "We don't need you ending up like Eric." Once again, the elevator doors were at this level. Soma boarded the elevator, but didn't bother to turn around. The doors closed, and X watched as the overhead light went down one floor.

X looked back into his room and double checked that he had his communicator. He decided that he'd go and work out to try and get his nerves steady.

* * *

'(That work out was just what I needed,)' X thought to himself. '(Now it's time to do some solo training.)' X gripped his God Arc in his right hand and pulled it from the stand. He swung the large blade deftly; its weight was only a slight issue the first time he ever lifted it. Seeming to be content with his God Arc, X suddenly sensed another presence in the storage bay with him. X looked further down the line and noticed another person getting their God Arc as well.

"Alisa."

She turned hurriedly at the sound of his voice. "Oh, it's you." She says, sounding relieved. "I thought you may have been Lindow."

X raised an eyebrow. Even at that distance Alisa can tell he's curious.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" X shook his head no. "He and I are going on a mission. I'm preparing right now." X gave her a nod of enthusiasm. "Are you going on a mission yourself?" She asked, eying his God Arc. X shook his head no again and pointed over his shoulder at the training facilities.

"I see." She sounded somewhat... disappointed? "It's important that you don't forget the basics."

"What's your target?" X asked in his almost trademark monotone.

"A Vajra in the City of Mercy." Alisa responded automatically. X raised an eyebrow, and Alisa noticed it. "Something wrong?" Against his instinct, X shook his head.

'(Soma told me that we were a part of the standby team... Did the Vajra make a move already? If so, why weren't we informed?)' X then looked at Alisa then around the room. "Lindow's God Arc isn't here. He may be waiting for you topside." X pointed upwards, referring to the rooftop helipad.

Oh!" Alisa gasped. She then made an expression that X assumed was directed towards her not realizing that sooner. "Wish me luck." Alisa spoke in a dim tone as she turned away from X.

"That's awfully uncharacteristic of you." X commented to Alisa's back.

Alisa froze, then looked over her shoulder and said. "I suppose you're right." Alisa's voice was still dull. "It must be one of those days."

X watched her, heard her footsteps echoing, saw her form shrinking in the distance, and watched Alisa board the elevator. She looked back at him, and perhaps it was a trick of the light, but her eyes seemed to lack shine. X suddenly felt something in his stomach bubble like an unsettled swamp.

'(Perhaps I should have wished her good luck?)' The thought was abrupt and nearly made X chase after her. '(This job isn't about luck...)' X reprimanded himself, walking in the opposite direction toward the training facilities...

* * *

"Hey, X!" Kota greeted the Private as he, Gina and Kanon walked down the hallway. They were leaving the gunner's range just as X was coming in. X looked up from the floor and waved. "You gonna do some firing practice?" X nodded as he walked towards the trio of gunners. "Hey, you feeling better from this mor-"

Kota was cut off mid sentence by X's fist an inch away from his face. Kanon let out a squeal and stepped behind Gina. "I forgot you were pretty fleet footed." Gina laughed, her tone getting a bit wild. "I almost didn't see you move."

"I-I didn't see you move!" Kota laughed nervously. X relaxed, putting his arm down and patting Kota on the shoulder. "I see you're as cheerful and healthy as ever." Kota wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. "Nearly gave me a heart attack." X looked past Kota at Gina who was grinning at him. Kota sensed a tension between the two and slipped out of standing between them.

"What?" X's monotone was firm.

"Try that on me." Gina waved X onward. She put her God Arc in her left hand and stood in a fighter's stance.

"Try what on you?" X asked, playing dumb.

"That move you just did on Kota." Gina's smile became larger. "It looked like fun."

"If it connected," X explained. "I may have broken his neck." Both Kota and Kanon - who had moved away from Gina a few seconds ago - let out a whimper.

"Yeah," Gina laughed. "Fun, like I said." Gina beckoned to X once more. "Now do it." X looked over at Kota and Kanon, who both shook their heads no to him anxiously.

"Fine." X turned around and walked back down the hall. He turned to face Gina – and she was in front of him. X turned sideways, watching Gina's arm barely miss his neck. X stuck his foot out, and tripped the Sniper. Gina shifted her weight to her other foot, and managed to recover, not once nearing the ground. She twisted around, and X caught her open palm.

"That was good," X stepped into Gina and lifted her arm a little higher. "But next time, pivot on your back heel and put your weight behind it." X demonstrated himself, then watched as Gina did it. He let her go, then stepped back. "You already knew that one."

"You're not the only one who's had their fair share of fist fights." Gina laughed. "It's just been a while since I've seen someone do such a lethal move." Gina noticed X's lifted eyebrow and added. "I was always getting into fights with all sorts of people growing up."

"Oh!" Kanon peeped from behind Kota. "Like that time you beat up that group of boys for calling you flat chested?" X saw the bit of Gina's exposed face turn red. Gina let out a chilling laugh and walked past X. X turned around, just as Kota slid next to the Private.

"I'll just let those two talk..." Kota chuckled, taking a step behind X.

"Smart." X nodded, watching as Gina pulled Kanon's ear. "Kota." Kota looked away from the whining Kanon and at X. "Didn't you tell me Alisa was here, too?"

Kota thought to himself for a second then snapped his fingers. "Right! She was, but then some doctor guy came down here and said Alisa needed an emergency check-up."

"Emergency...?" X mimed. "Was it her main doctor?"

"Yeah, Doctor Numa-Numa!" Kota beamed at X, sounding confident. X blinked a few times.

"You mean Dr. Oguruma?" Kanon, holding her ear asked as she and Gina walked to the two boys.

"Huh?" Kota rubbed his chin. "You sure it was Oguruma? I think Numa-Numa sounds right."

"It's Oguruma," X spoke factually. He noticed Kota's stare turn blank – someone lost interest easily... "And when was this?"

"Not too long ago, actually," Gina spoke up, wrapping an arm around Kanon. "This one here had just blasted Alisa in another miss-firing case, so that doctor's timing couldn't have been better." Now it was Kanon's turn to go red in the face.

"I-I'm sorry." Kanon spoke to no one in particular. "But she was fine!" Kanon argued. "And I'll make her some cookies to apologize for it, too!"

"Cookies?" Kota was now deeply interested. "What kind?" Kota and Kanon began talking cookies as Gina gestured for X to get closer. He complied, and Gina began speaking to him in a whisper.

"Between you and me," Gina began. "I don't trust that doctor as far as I can throw him."

"Why not?" X asked, cautious. He was sure that Gina was perfectly capable of throwing the doctor – or anyone else she got her hands on for that matter.

"Because," Gina sounded petty. "I saw Lindow ask him for a cigarette earlier today. He said he was out and a few minutes after Lindow left the room, he opened up a fresh pack."

"That's it?" X deadpanned.

"What kind of a doctor smokes?" Gina asked snidely. X shrugged; she had a bit of a point. "On top of that, what kind of a _God Eater _doctor doesn't share with God Eaters?"

"Well, when you put it that way..." X rubbed his chin. While it didn't seem like anything life threatening, Gina made a few good points.

"So," Gina suddenly sounded cheerful. "You say you want Kanon to teach you how to make cookies?" X looked at Gina, and then at Kanon.

"I never sa-" X felt Gina's elbow in his rib cage. "Said tha-" She elbowed him again. "I never said – damn it!" X pulled away from Gina, gripping the left side of his torso. He then ducked under Gina's leg when the sniper threw a kick at him.

"Those two...are scary." Kota whispered. Kanon nodded as they watched the two God Eaters trade blows. After a few minutes, Gina was laughing and grinning like a child.

"You're much more fun than Shun and Karel!" X huffed and adjusted his sunglasses. "They usually faint after a few hits, but I couldn't lay a finger on you."

"This hallway's just wide enough for me to dodge." X responded. "But you still got too close." The two shared a chuckle, then X added "That's some hand-to hand training completed today, as well." He waved to the trio and headed towards the gunner's range.

"He's...still going?" Kanon marveled.

"I got tired just watching you two..." Kota yawned. "Maybe I'll just go watch some Buga-"

"Kota!" X called from down the hallway. "You, me, Sakuya and Soma are on mission standby!" X then entered the firing range before Kota could respond.

"Darn it..." Kota groaned. "So much for that idea..."

* * *

X came out of the training room, wiping sweat from his brow. The first person he saw was Mister Sunshine himself. "I'm glad you're all warmed up." Soma says, his God Arc in tow. "We're going on that mission. Now." He turned on his heel and takes off in stride. Soma glanced over at X - perhaps he was surprised that X matched his stride so easily?

Soma and X regrouped with Kota and Sakuya at the lobby, both holding their God Arcs. Just seeing the expressions on their faces, X knew exactly what they were thinking:

Is this Vajra anything like the one X fought?

Tsubaki Amamiya makes her entrance, looking the four members of the First Unit over, eying X for an extra second. X looked back at her, and he somehow knew that she picked up on Sakuya and Kota's worry. She begins the mission debriefing.

"Your target is a new type of Aragami, evolved from the Vajra and popping up all over the world."

"Wait, a New-Type..." Kota gulps. "Of Vajra?"

"You told me we'd be facing a Vajra," Soma spoke up. "Not an evolved form."

"It's been popping up all over the world?" Sakuya asks, focusing more on the newly unveiled opponent. "If that's the case than it was bound to show up around here sooner or later..."

Tsubaki turns to Sakuya. The look on her face shows that time is of the essence. "Up until now, its existence was only rumored. If you all remember, not too long ago, the American Branch was completely wiped out by Aragami."

Kota visibly shivered. This must have been news to him, the one who hardly did his research.

"Final reports from the American Branch include detailed information about several Aragami, both known and unknown. On the list of known Aragami are common Aragami that we at Fenrir encounter everyday and God Eaters of your level wouldn't regard as a threat."

"Like Ogretails, Zygotes and Cocoon Maidens?" Sakuya asked. Tsubaki nodded. "But I've heard that the American Branch was plagued with higher level Aragami, like Ouroborous."

"Plagued?!" Kota screamed. "By Ouroborous?!" He then got quiet for only a second. "That's the Aragami the seventh unit took out, back when X and I were still recruits!"

X remembered that day; it was the first time he, Kota, Sakuya and Soma had ever gone out as a team, his first four man mission. They had all thought Lindow would be going with them, but he had to go on a date instead. When the four of them returned, Lindow was already back at the Den. After a brief conversation, Lindow expressed his joy at their 'seamless teamwork', as Kota put it, and said he'd be able to go on more dates in the future knowing that his comrades could handle themselves.

A few seconds later, there was an announcement for all engineers to report to the main lab, as the seventh unit dispatched the core of an Ouroborous. Everyone seemed amazed; not only because of the level of the Aragami, but because it was the seventh unit that had accomplished the feat. Kota openly expressed his lack of knowledge of the Aragami, and received negative feedback from Soma. X remained silent, but hadn't heard of that Aragami either. Shortly after Lindow left for a second date, both X and Kota looked up the Ourorborous; it was a mountain sized Aragami and possibly the strongest one out there – at least, excluding the even stronger _Deusphage _Aragami. But those were _way _beyond their current league. Kota left shortly afterward, but X went an extra mile while researching.

The seventh unit was comprised of a single God Eater. Corporal Lindow Amamiya.

"Sucks for America." Everyone looked at Soma after such a blatant remark. Everyone noticed both Brenden and Kiria stick their heads out from either stairway.

"Soma!" Sakuya scolded him. "What a cruel thing to say."

"Better them than us." All eyes were now on X, but he didn't seem to care. He and Soma shared a silent nod.

"How could you two-" Kota was cut off by Tsubaki's unusually cold voice.

"Unless you'd like the same to happen to us, all of you will quiet down and listen to my orders!"

A hushed silence quickly took the room, and both Brendan and Kiria were no longer in the area.

"Good." Tsubaki mentally sighed in relief. She was glad to have had nipped that discussion in the bud. "As I was saying, on the known list are Aragami that we at the Far East Branch have encountered, almost on a daily basis. But on the unknown list... are Aragami that we have neither seen, nor do most at Fenrir HQ believe to actually exist."

"Unknown Aragami?" Kota gulped. "Like the known ones aren't bad enough..."

"While the more outlandish Aragami's existence is still being debated, current evidence shows that there are several possible Aragami evolutions and new strains appearing that are not only worth mentioning, but will also gain their own simulations in future virtual battle training."

Everyone was surprised by this announcement – and for good reason. But it was Kota, once again, who spoke out first.

"New strains? Like those spark, blaze and freeze Ogretails we encountered a while back while looking for that Vajra X took out?"

Soma's head perked up. "The fallen species."

Sakuya quickly caught on as well. "The fallen Kongous that Alisa, Lindow and I fought at the Fallen Carrier."

"Exactly." Tsubaki checked her clipboard. "These fallen species have been popping up more and more as of late, so everyone be on your guard. While they've been spotted on other continents thus far, their arrival is imminent in our area." He words made a few of the God Eaters present, and a few passing by, shiver. "They may be sporadic at first, but who knows what the future holds."

She looked away from her clipboard and continued. "With that out of the way, the target for your mission has yet to be named, but due to its appearance, it shall be dubbed 'the Blue Vajra'."

X let out a fairly audible gasp. "Something the matter, Private?" Tsubaki asked. X shook his head. "Are you sure?" Tsubaki sensed something deeper, but knew that X would not share his thoughts. He affirmed this by not responding a second time, although he looked down the staircase where Kiria had been standing not too long ago. "Very well, then. All we know for sure is that it is a New-Type of Vajra, evolved by unknown means. You are to extract its core for research purposes. As this is our first time encountering it, you are encouraged to retreat should things get too out of hand. That is all."

Tsubaki gave them all one final glance before heading to the sector elevator. The moment the doors closed behind her, Kota voiced his concern in his...own way.

"Aw, this blows!" He kicked the ground, leaving a small scuff. "Why is it always the First Unit that gets sucked into things? First X and that crazy Vajra, now this 'Blue Vajra' pops up?" He huffed. Kota then jumped backwards; the janitor's sudden appearance startled the young man.

"You!" The janitor pointed to Kota. "You scuffed my floor?"

"Uh...well.." Kota stammered. "He made me do it!" Kota pointed to X – at least, where X had been standing. Kota looked back, and saw that Sakuya and Soma were already standing by the Den Gate. X was over at the Merchant, purchasing some last minute items.

"At least tell me when we're leaving!" Kota complained.

"We did," Sakuya chuckled. "But you didn't hear us over your child-like bawling."

"Kota went to reply, but felt something wet on the back of his leg. He looked down, and saw the janitor spraying the floor.

"It's alright," The janitor sounded happy. "This gives me a chance to try out this new type of scuff remover..."

X thanked the Merchant for the restore pills, restore balls and O-ampules and went to join up with Soma and Sakuya, but the Merchant's voice stopped him.

"You're going to need more than that!" X looked back, the confusion not showing on his face. "Your bleak aura is telling me today is going to be a very long day for you."

X crouched down to the Merchant when he beckoned for X to get closer. "These are Restore pills II. They heal twice as much health than your everyday restore pill. Take 'em."

"Free of charge?" X asked.

"'course not!" The Merchant laughed.

"Of course not..." X took the restore pills. He noticed two gray metal stands lying atop one another next to the Merchant. "What're those?"

"These are restore posts. They let you heal your whole team – throw them down, they light up, and you heal up!" The Merchant then added darkly. "But you can only carry two at a time."

"Why's that?" X asked. "Something so convenient should be used for all its worth."

"I'unno," The Merchant shrugged. 'But them's the breaks."

"How many times can one person get healed?"

"Everybody gets one." The Merchant spoke swiftly with a grin on his face, as though he were referencing something.

"I'll take them." X then chided bitterly. "Add it to my bill."

"You're actually in luck," The merchant handed them off to X. "These are working display models, and Fenrir just issued that these things can only be made by item synth – where are you going?"

"I've got a mission." X was already on the staircase, heading to the Den Gate.

"Don't forget to save often!" X ignored the Merchant's last remark as he claimed a spot near Soma and Sakuya, still waiting by the Den Gate.

"Gah!" Kota yelled, now heading towards the stairs. "What is it about Fenrir and New-Types, anyway?" He intentionally stopped beside X, who had just got there himself. "First new-types of corn, then New-Type God Eaters and now new-type cleaning products?!"

X groaned and held the bridge of his nose. Why did Kota have to yell in his ear?

"I swear!" Kota was the first to step through the opened Den Gate. "If the next thing I hear about is an Old-Type God Eater becoming a New-Type God Eater, I'll just-"

Kota fell silent, as well as into Soma's arm. "What the hell?" Soma complained. He went to shrug Kota off, until he noticed the boy was completely unconscious. Soma looked to X suspiciously. His gaze changed from suspicious to wary when he noticed X in the far corner of the elevator, clearly eying the trap door that lead to the elevator ventilation system for a second then looking at Sakuya. Soma followed the New-Type's gaze to Sakuya, who still had her fist extended.

"Finally, some peace and quiet to think in..." She muttered. Soma said nothing; he simply looked to X and pushed Kota's limp body to the sunglasses wearing teen.

"He's your friend." Soma explained as X caught Kota. X let out a sigh, and supported Kota's weight. Neither male addressed Sakuya, who still had a pensive look on her face.

"Where are we going?" X asked, moving Kota a bit. "This one here was yelling and I didn't get the location before stocking up."

"We're headed to the City of Mercy." Sakuya informed X, her voice analytic.

'(That's the same city Lindow and Alisa departed for not too long ago.)' X thought to himself, giving Sakuya a nod of recognition. '(Are we their support?)' X kept himself silent as the First Unit headed out...

* * *

Feit sat atop the highest building in the area. Around his neck was a pair of high powered binoculars. He swayed his bare feet back and forth as he whistled a happy tune. "Ah...front row seats are always the best." Feit went into his pocket and pulled out a small tin case. He opened it, and retrieved a small piece of gum. "If only I had actual snacks. That would make watching this show so much more-" He stopped, hearing footsteps behind him. He looked over his shoulder, and saw two figures approaching him.

"Well I'll be..." Feit chuckled, placing the piece of gum back into the tin, and the tin into his pocket. "Hey Imp! You made it to the premier – and you brought a date!"

"No thanks to you, you disgusting creep!" Imp roared, stepping ahead of her companion and walking briskly towards Feit. "Ooh, I'm gonna enjoy tearing you a new -"

"Imp." The companion called out. "Stand down." Imp stopped mid step, and looked back with a scowl on her face.

"But he trapped my in his little hole; more importantly, right after _I _helped him escape it."

"Then I came and got _you_ out of it." The male companion now stood next to Imp, and a few inches behind Feit who scrambled to stand up. "Just like I said I would."

"So you knew I'd trap Imp in there, huh, Leader?" Feit's laughed echoed in the empty sky. "You know me too well."

Leader was a tall man, easily two heads taller than Feit and much taller than Imp. He had long, black and gray hair that was tied into a braid that hung on his left shoulder. He wore a brown duster jacket, green cargo pants, black boots and no shirt, revealing a very muscular frame. He was about the same complexion as Charm, and his right eye was also a maroon shade. But his left eye, which sported a scar from the bridge of his nose to his left temple, was black in color.

Leader raised his right arm and waved his gloved hand dismissively. "We'll discuss your punishment later, Feit." Feit's grin became a frown at that comment. "For now, give me a status report."

Feit nodded and revealed the utility belt on his waist. "The package requested by our...generous benefactor at Fenrir has been delivered." Leader stepped past Imp, grabbing the binoculars around Feit's neck. He tugged on them, causing Feit to become off balance. Feit let out a yell as he lost his footing on the edge and fell from the roof. The binoculars now off of Feit, Leader looked through them.

He saw two God Eaters, one in a long, brown coat and another wearing red and black attire that hardly covered her body, making their way through the City of Mercy. Leader heard Imp's footsteps and excited laughter beside him.

"Did you kill him?" Imp asked, peering over the edge. "Oh." She sounded disappointed when she spotted Feit holding onto the edge of the building. "They say rats will do anything to survive."

"They also say bitches are in heat this time of year." Feit spat back. "So, how's your va – ow!" Feit yelped as Leader stepped on his left hand. "Uh...Leader...those are my fingers-"

"You said Silver would be here. Explain." Leader's tone was lethal as he shifted more of his weight on his left foot.

"I submitted a report to the Far East Branch about a 'Blue Vajra'," Feit cringed a bit. "Since the First Unit is the Retaliation Squad, they should be deployed -"

"I see Corporal Lindow Amamiya, and some teenage girl." Leader scowled.

"You know about the God Eaters, Leader?" Imp asked, straining her eyes to try and see what Leader saw.

"Since our request specifically mentioned Lindow Amamiya, I took it upon myself to do a little digging." Leader looked at Imp for that brief explanation, but now set his sights on Feit once more. He began to grind his boot on Feit's fingers. "So... what makes you certain that Silver will be here?"

"He's a Private now," Feit grunted. "Seeing as how they've already sent out the First Unit Leader, Fenrir wouldn't want to risk newbies on a mission against an unknown foe. Not to mention," Feit tried to pull himself up, but Leader kicked him int he face. "Guh! The Defense Squad only sticks around the Ghettos, unless it's a special situation or people need extraction!"

Leader, giving a satisfied grunt, moved his foot. "Fine. And stop acting so hurt, Feit." Feit laughed and swung himself up onto the building with ease.

"You could always read me like a book, huh?" Feit rubbed his hand. "Next time, warn me before you put me in a life or death situation, will ya?" Leader shook his head which prompted Feit to say "But...It may end up being more boring than fun!"

Imp visibly cringed at the level of excitement in Feit's voice. "Wait..." Imp was confused. "Did you say Silver? Silver is alive?"

Leader looked back at Imp."Oh. I didn't tell you that?"

"Don't be so casual about it!" Imp shouted. "I thought he was dead!"

"So did I," Leader gestured to Feit. "But he found Silver, of all people, during his delivery to one of our external sources. Speaking of which, Feit." Feit jumped at the sound of his name. "How's that new species of Aragami coming along?"

Feit shrugged. "With such a low quantity of the living organism you requested, development's moving pretty slow. We can always scrap -"

"Did I _ask _for your input?" Leader snarled. Feit fell silent. "Exactly. Imp, go bring the car around. We're leaving."

"A-already?!" Imp gasped. "We just got here and -" Leader gave Imp a dark look over his shoulder. "Right away, Leader!" Imp spoke professionally and took off.

Feit chuckled. "Look at her, running with her tail between her – hello!" Feit saw it coming, but couldn't dodge. Leader gripped Feit's throat with his left arm. Feit tried to gulp against the cold feeling on his neck, but Leader's grip was too tight. "So...is this that punishment?"

"No," Leader took a step forward, now holding Feit over the edge of the building. Feit risked a look downward and felt his heart jump. The image of him holding Charm in a similar fashion came into his head, and Feit couldn't help but mentally laugh at the bout of Karma. "This is for you making me leave the new main base for no reason."

"Why Leader..." Feit chocked out. "Whatever do you mean?"

"Imp had come to release you from your own 'hidey-hole'?" Leader scoffed. " I don't know if you've thought of this, but would someone who engineered the lock on their own base of operations not have an alternative way out?"

Feit tried to chuckle, but Leader tightened his grip. "And further, Feit, when I asked you if you were up to something, right after you found Silver, you outright admitted that you were." Leader moved his left arm stiffly until Feit was inches away from his face. "Did you really think I wouldn't come check up on you?"

"Why Leader..." Feit's face began turning red. "I never knew you cared so...much..."

Leader narrowed his two different colored eyes at Feit. "Start talking, Feit." Leader's left eye gleamed, and Feit knew he meant business. "Or would you rather die before the curtain of your little show rises?"

'(Damn it all!)' Feit shouted in his mind. '(I didn't expect Leader to come down here personally. I didn't want to play this card so early but...)' Feit let out a wheeze that Leader recognized as a laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Leader questioned, his tone serious.

Feit pointed to the hand on his neck, and Leader reluctantly loosened his grip. Feit gasped bit then answered "You won't kill me."

Now it was Leader's booming laugh that filled the sky. "I won't?"

Feit then double checked his point. "At least, not now...It's still too early for me to die."

Leader's gaze hardened; he knew the route Feit was taking. "Feit...if you tell me know, we can remain as friends on some level." Leader's right eye softened as his tone became gentler. "You know you're one of the last few people I can call family."

Feit moved on of his hands from around Leader's cold wright to his chest. "Yeah," Feit huffed out a laugh. "Like this thing still works. No use in appealing to my heart, Leader!"

Leader frowned, a sad look in his right eye. His left eye only grew colder. "Fine. Then from this moment on, we're strictly business partners."

"G-good with me." Feit then pointed down at the lack of solid matter beneath his feet. "So, are you going to let one of your three main pieces slip through your fingers?"

Leader 'tsk'ed. With a pained grunt, Leader launched Feit over his left shoulder. Feit wailed as he soared through the air, and let out a grunt as he landed atop the roof. "Damn you..." Leader turned around and yelled at Feit, letting his emotions go. "First you throw away one of my last ties to this world, and now you dangle my own cause over my head like a bartering chip?! I knew you were capable of some grotesque things Feit, but this-"

"Someone has to do those grotesque things!" Feit shot back, rubbing his neck as he stood up. "And since you lack the heart, and that newbie Imp lacks the balls, I guess those things fall onto my shoulders, don't they?!" Feit then let out a sad laugh. "Not like that's anything new, is it Leader? Even before things were as bad as they are now, I was always the one doing the terrible things."

Leader spat, his saliva landing near Feit's bare foot. "That's a crackpot of bull and we both know it. You enjoy doing what you do."

"Damn right I do!" Feit cackled insanely. "Maybe it's true that I wasn't always this damn twisted, but it's better than being straight and narrow all the time." Feit moved his hand from his neck to his chin, rubbing still. "Maybe that's what made Imp go lezzie on us?"

Leader grit his teeth. "You know _exactly _what you did to make her not trust men."

Feit raised his hands defensively. "That was _not _a part of my plan. Remember that _you're _the one who requested a new member for our dying unit. _You _told me to break the girl, and I did."

"You killed her mother in front of her!" Leader shouted back, feeling a tear well up in his right eye. The left one glared at Feit with hatred.

"Hey, hey, she wasn't supposed to die!" Feit objected, pointing accusingly at Leader. "I was just going to scar the girl and have some fun with the mom. Her mother just...couldn't handle me, I guess." Feit licked his lips, remembering that day.

Leader tightened his right hand into a fist. "You didn't have to involve Imp's mother..."

"True," Feit then walked towards Leader and rested his hand on Leader's right shoulder. "But _you _didn't have to involve Imp. No matter how badly that situation turned out, remember it was your fault!"

Feit let out a groan as Leader dug his right fist into Feit's stomach. "Your filthy mind tricks don't work on me." Leader lifted his knee and dealt Feit a swift knee-kick in the face. "Never have, never will."

Feit sprang up almost instantaneously from the floor. "Yeah, yeah, because your 'cause' is so worthy and pure that nothing on this planet can sway you. Whatever." Feit dusted himself off and continued. "But so long as you need me, Silver and a particular empty piece of land currently quarantined by Fenrir, I'm in the black."

As much as it sickened Leader to his core, Feit was right. But to drive another nail into the coffin, Feit added "Besides, someone has to look after that left arm of yours, right?" Leader allowed a growl to escape his throat. "I noticed how stiff it was, _Leader._" Feit chuckled darkly. "Need more...lubricant?" Feit retrieved a small vial of murky purple liquid from his utility belt. "Wait...that threat didn't come out the way I wanted it to..."

Leader managed to keep his face neutral, but his eyes fell on the vial in Feit's hand.

"I did try to warn you, _Leader_," Again, Feit spoke the word mockingly. "Messing with Oracle Cells is a dangerous line of work."

"You would know." Leader opened his right hand and showed Feit a vial containing a clear liquid. "How are those internal organs of yours?"

Feit snarled and checked his utility belt. That was, indeed, the clear vial he needed to... "You snagged that when you punched me, didn't you?!"

Leader chuckled and nodded. "Remind you of anyone?" Leader smirked when he saw the clear look of shock on Feit's face. "So, we'll trade, deal?" Feit begrudgingly moved his hand from Leader's shoulder. Both hands at waist level, one holding the purple vial and the other empty, Feit shot Leader a look.

"Like always?" Feit offered in a friendly tone. Leader mimicked Feit, his empty hand beneath the purple vial and the clear vial above Feit's open hand. "On three."

The two counted to three together, and each dropped their vial into the others awaiting hand. They both opened their vials and clinked the two glasses together. They downed the contents and exhaled a sigh.

"Damn you," Feit sighed after a moment. "You always have some type of back-up plan, don't you?"

"I try." Leader laughed. "But you know I wasn't always like this, either."

"Yeah..." Feit looked Leader in the face and muttered. "That Silver... he really screwed us up, didn't he?" Leader nodded in agreement, giving Feit the binoculars he had placed in his pocket. Feit took them and scanned the horizon. "Speak of the devil." Feit handed Leader back the binoculars and pointed to the old church building. "There he is, right there."

Leader turned around and looked through the binoculars. The lens focusing for only a moment, Leader spotted Lindow Amamiya and the God Eater in red standing across from four more God Eaters. One was wearing a dark blue jacket with a hood over his head and a giant God Arc blade. The other was a boy, maybe around fifteen, who wore yellow and carried a gun. The third was a woman in black and green, walking oddly as she carried her long, God Arc gun. But it was the fourth God Eater that drew Leader's attention.

He wore all black, a color that had suited him since he was a child. In his hands was a God Arc, silver in color. Leader could only chuckle internally at the irony. "Hmm?" He examined the fourth God Eater, and noticed that his hair now bore a blue hue. "So it really is Silver..." Leader stopped looking though the binoculars and looked over his shoulder. "Feit-"

Leader was alone on the rooftop. Leader sucked his teeth. "Right. That bastard and I are only partners now. Maybe that's for the better..." Leader looked through the binoculars again and watched as Lindow and the God Eater in red entered the old church. It was then he remembered the details given to him by their client in Fenrir.

"So, that's Alisa Ilinichina Amiella, the one that our good doctor spoke of." He chuckled. "She is rather unassuming looking. But those clothes...if I ever caught Charmaine wearing something like that..." Leader's small smile dropped as he thought of his younger sister. He recalled the last time he saw her – two years ago, when he had taken it upon himself to leave their old hideout after Silver left. Leader still remembered when he returned to the old hideout last month, and found it in shambles.

"_Feit... what happened here?" Leader asked, staring at the bodies lying around. "The few believers we still had are...dead..."_

"_Aragami." That was all Feit needed to say. "We can hold our own against other people, hell even Fenrir but those damn monsters..."_

"_Feit, what about Charmaine?"_

_Feit fell silent._

"_Feit, I asked you specifically to look after her!"_

"_I know..." Feit choked. "And I tried but..."_

"_But what?!"_

"_But Charm ran off when the Aragami struck, screaming and crying for you. I ran after her but... I didn't get to her first.."_

_Leader felt his chest constrict. "You mean...Charmaine, my little sister...?"_

"_Yeah...she's gone, Leader. I'm sorry," Feit sniffed a bit. "I really am."_

Leader watched as Silver turned around. He shouted something and pointed to the distance. Leader heard several loud roars that were clearly not human and smiled. "We always deliver." Leader lowered the binoculars and turned towards the rooftop exit. "One thing I have to give Feit; he's always been the smartest person I've known. Even if he is sick." Leader opened the door to the exit and looked back over his shoulder.

"But there's on thing I have to give you, Silver. I've been alive for almost forty years now, something many people would say is an accomplishment in this world, especially outside of Fenrir's so called protection. But if there's anyone who can survive this world, the world that Director of yours wants, or even the new world I'm aiming for...it's you."

Leader walked through the open door and walked into the dark hallway, listening to the loud roars in the background. "Although...it's a shame what's going to happen to that new Leader of yours, Silver..."

* * *

"Damn it!" Soma complained as he threw up his shield. Lucky, his Buster Sword allowed him to use the Advanced Guard technique and instantly deploy his shield. Had it been even a second later, the Vajra would be enjoying a meal. "Where's my back up?!" Soma yelled.

"I'm busy here!" Sakuya hollered back before rolling out of the way of a javelin shot by a Cocoon Maiden. She and Soma were located in the center of the City of Mercy, in between the opposite side of the old church and the old storage center. "Where are the others?!"

Soma jumped back, avoiding the Vajra's right electrified claw. "The hell if I know!" He jumped back again when he saw a javelin coming his way. "Aren't you taking the – damn it!" Soma's split second of split focus caused him to get swiped by the Vajra's powerful claw. He was sent flying across the terrain.

"Soma!" Sakuya fired one last blaze element laser at the Cocoon Maiden. Now that it was stunned, she could - "Whoa!" Sakuya ducked a wayward javelin, and looked at the second Cocoon Maiden that was still emerging from the ground next to the first. "Oh, come on!"

"Oh, come on!" Kota yelled, firing on the next Cocoon Maiden. Sakuya jumped at his sudden appearance. "I'll back you up, no problem!" Kota's cheery disposition snapped Sakuya out of her shock. "X healed Soma with a recovery bullet so-"

"Where were you?!" Sakuya cut Kota off. "We split up for five minutes, and Soma and I end up on the wrong end of a crap storm!"

"We were looking for the Vajra!" Kota complained. "I passed by X on the way back – would you believe he was in the old church, salvaging items!"

"While we fought the Vajra?!" Sakuya risked a glance back. Sure enough, Soma was on his way back towards the Vajra that was roaring at the two new combatants. X was directly across from Sakuya and Kota, tangling with two Cocoon Maidens that had emerged on the higher platform behind them.

"Kota, you leave these to me and go help Soma with the Vajra. I know X can handle those Maidens – we need all four of us -" Sakuya stopped when she saw shot-type oracle bullets flying over Soma's head. She looked away from Kota who was still focused between the two Cocoon Maidens, and at X who was firing away at the Vajra. Behind him, the two bodies of the Cocoon Maidens were slowly disintegrating

'(That was fast, even for small fry...)' Sakuya turned her attention back to the two cocoon maiden and noticed her shots weren't as effective as they should have been. '(Right, Cocoon Maidens sometimes have an increase defense to ranged attacks. Some are even reported to be totally immune to ranged attacks.)' Sakuya grabbed Kota by his scarf, and ran towards X. "X, use your blade to finish those Maidens. We'll cover Soma!"

X shifted his God Arc to blade form and raced towards Sakuya.

"Look out!" Kota shouted, planting his feet and pulling Sakuya back. Sakuya let out a yelp as a Cocoon Maiden's javelin fizzled on the ground a centimeter ahead of her. She stared at the burnt spot for only a second; a black shoe quickly covered it, and with a grunt, X jumped clear over Sakuya and Kota. He sailed over their heads, and with a yell, brought his blade down on the nearest Cocoon Maiden.

All of is vital signs stopped, and X turned his focus to the second, newer Cocoon Maiden.

"Any day now!" Soma growled loudly, sidestepping the Vajra's tackle. Sakuya and Kota stopped watching X and went to back up Soma. Both gunners took positions and pulled their triggers.

"I'm out of bullets!" Kota shouted, amazed.

"Reloading!" Sakuya tsked. She then looked to Kota in amazement. "You _just _got here. How are you out of ammo?!" Before Kota could respond, Sakuya felt a rush of energy surge into her. She looked down, and saw that she was in burst mode. She looked to her left, and saw X firing two more Aragami Bullets to her.

"Kota, you're next!" X shouted. Sakuya, now at level three of Link Burst Mode, moved up to support Sakuya. A few seconds later, she heard Kota cheer "Alright" and heard his footsteps close behind her.

Soma seemed to be struggling against the Vajra. Sakuya fired a recovery bullet at him; Soma quickly responded with a curt "Not the kind of support I wanted!" which only served to tick off Sakuya further.

"Kota, don't waste your-" Kota couldn't hear her over his loud and flashy bullets. Sakuya cursed under her breath and opened fire on the Vajra as well. Although she was focused on the Vajra, her eyes picked up three streaks of light flying towards Soma. They struck him, and his body began emitting a powerful purple and black glow.

"Still not what I need!" Soma grunted, pushing the Vajra's fangs from his shield. "X, get it's tai-" The Private was next to Soma, aiming his blade at the Aragami's face. With a grunt, a radial-type oracle shot came from the barrel of his gun. The shot shattered the Vajra's front legs, and it fell to the ground.

Soma grunted. "Good enough." He steadied himself and charged his Buster Sword. "What an eyesore." He muttered, bringing down his charge crush on the beast's face. The fangs and several spots of its muzzle shattered instantly Soma noticed X making his way behind the downed Vajra, no doubt going for the tail.

"Don't let it get up!" Soma ordered, charging his blade once more. X began slashing away at the Vajra's tail and hind legs in an attempt to keep it down. The beast heaved a heavy sigh, and struggled to get on its feet. "You two," Soma addressed Sakuya and Kota. "Fire at its front legs!" Soma swung his God Arc down on the Vajra's face again, but it still managed to get its footing. Soma saw shots making dull impacts on its front legs, even though they were just unbound.

'(Don't tell me this thing was messed with, too?!)' He then saw the electricity surging on its cape. Soma's eyes widened as he prepared to deploy his shield – a burst of oracle cells sent him flying backwards before he even knew what happened. While careening backwards, he saw the Vajra let loose a dome of electric energy, and X diving out of range just in time. X landed and shifted his arc into gun form, and ran forward to regroup.

"What the hell was that?!" Soma roared as X neared him. Soma did not take his eyes off of the Vajra as it let loose a second electric shock. X did not respond immediately; he fired off another six Aragami bullets, designating three for both Kota and Sakuya.

"You weren't going to be able to block in time." X summed up his actions as he pivoted on his heel. Soma went to argue, but X yelled. "It's running!"

"Do we chase it?!" Kota and Sakuya now regrouped with Soma and X.

"Of course we chase it!" Soma growled, still peeved with X.

"Our target is a blue Vajra." X reminded Soma. "Not this one."

"We can't let this one roam free. Besides it-" The Vajra in question suddenly fell forward; blood spurted out from its sides and unbound parts. It let out a tired whimper and tried to get to its feet again.

"Any more objections?" Soma asked X snidely.

"We've got the edge now." X seemed to ignore Soma's attitude. "Let's finish it off."

Soma remained silent as he and X took the lead towards the Vajra. Behind them, Soma and Kota opened fire again, now that heir God Arcs had completed their self repairs.

After a few more minutes of grueling combat, close calls, and a few restore pills, both Soma and X's God Arcs were in Predator form, devouring the Aragami's motionless corpse.

"Well, that's one less opponent we have to worry about..." Kota sighed and wiped his forehead. "Glad that's ov – it's not over, is it?" Kota cut himself off upon receiving glares from Sakuya and Soma.

"Like the Private said," Soma gestured over to X who was scanning the area from a higher ledge behind the church. "Our target is a blue Vajra."

"Still," Sakuya sounded cheerful. "Taking out the Vajra that's been prowling the area is a bonus." She then considered. "Maybe worth a bonus, as well." Her keen eyes noticed X lean forward and place his hand over his brow. "Something up, X?"

X waved his hand downwards to Sakuya, a sign to be quiet. He placed his cupped hand to his ear and listened out. "I thought I saw something in the distance...not to mention the echo of...something..."

"Are you positive?" Sakuya asked, walking over to where X stood. She watched him shake his head, but he was tense nonetheless.

"We'll let whatever it is stay over there." Soma remarked, hefting his God Arc onto his shoulder. "If it's an Aragami that's not our target, it'll only be a hassle. Let's get this over with..." Soma then added under his breath "Something doesn't feel right."

"Agreed." If Soma were a different person, he would have jumped out of his skin. Luckily, Kota fell back on his butt and yelled loud enough for the both of them.

"Jeez, X, you can't just go teleporting around like that!" Kota joked about X and Sakuya's swiftness in regrouping. "We've only got one heart, you know!"

X said nothing, but offered Kota a hand up. With a light laugh, Kota accepted the hand and X pulled him up. "Lead the way." X addressed Soma, falling in line next to Soma. Soma waited until Sakuya and Kota took their positions behind the him and X before leading them to the front entrance of the church...

* * *

"Hey this is really getting fishy..." Lindow commented as he and Alisa staked out the area. This was the fourth time they were circling the City of Mercy since their arrival, and Lindow was sure he had heard the sound of a Vajra's roar just a moment ago.

Alisa paused behind Lindow, watching hims take several steps toward the alley that led to the center of the city. Images had flashed through her mind when she heard the faint echo of a Vajra's roar -

"Is something wrong?" Lindow asked, placing his God Arc on his shoulders.

"N—no, nothings wrong. You're all clear form the side and back!" Alisa confirmed hastily; her head was beginning to throb, but it was nothing she couldn't handle.

"Right..." Lindow sensed something was causing the girl stress...but who wasn't stressed these days? "Let's move on."

* * *

"What?" Soma was startled.

"You guys?" Lindow was equally surprised.

The two groups had encountered one another in front of the old church that miraculously still stood even after countless Aragami strikes.

"Wa...? What are you doing here, Lindow?" Kota wondered.

X held his tongue, seeing no point in adding on to the questions. But one thing he did notice was that this was the same spot he, Alisa and Lindow had mission together. He looked around, remaining on high alert.

'(Hm?)' The thought was random and its purpose perplexing, even to X. '(Not a cloud in the sky...)' He pondered on why that felt...ominous to him for a second, but Sakuya's footsteps brought him back to the matter at hand.

"Why would they send two teams to the same section? What does this mean?" Sakuya wondered aloud, approaching the front of the formation.

"Let's worry about that later. We need to wrap this up." Lindow quickly quelled any speculation. "We'll take the inside. You guys check the outside. Got that?" Everyone obeyed their orders, watching Lindow and Alisa walk into the church. The four man team then formed a semi-circle around the entrance, and stayed on guard...

* * *

Inside the church, Lindow and Alisa looked around. What may have once been the altar room, judging by the paintings on the stain glass windows. There was a large opening in the rear wall that almost resembled a perch. It looked large enough for-

A black bodied Aragami with white claws, fangs, shoulders and tail to leap onto the perch from the outside. It let out a roar, spreading it blue cape-like organ. It stared down at Lindow and Alisa, bearing the cruel face of a goddess.

"Get back! Keep me covered from the rear!" Lindow wasted no time and dropped into a battle ready stance. Alisa's eyes focused against the sunlight, and she could clearly see the face of the Aragami. She felt a sharp pain in her head as memories she had been trying to suppress for years resurfaced.

"Daddy Mommy! Stop it, don't eat them!" Alisa backed away from her covering position. Although her eyes were transfixed on the Aragami in front of her, her vision only saw that day, replaying over and over again in her mind...

"Alisa, what's going on?" Lindow slipped back from underneath the new Aragami's paw. Alisa wasn't giving him covering fire and he had to remain alert against this new enemy – that meant he couldn't look away from it for even a second...

"That's right, fight it! Rise above it!" Johannes von Schicksal's voice rings in Alisa's ears just as loud as it did during her Aptitude test...

"This is what you say as you pull that trigger." Dr. Daigo Oguruma's sinister voice hisses into her ear. "Ajin duva touri."

"Ajin duva touri" Alisa finds that she is repeating the words automatically, but has no idea what they mean. She watches as Lindow gets swatted away like a fly...

"That's right..." Dr. Oguruma sounds victorious. "That's the chant that will turn you into a strong little girl!"

"Ajin duva touri..." Alisa now points her gun at the 'Blue Vajra', flinching backwards as Lindow slashed at its face.

"These are your enemies..." Images of the 'Blue Vajra' pop into her mind – and then... Lindow? "The Aragami!" Alisa now finds that the barrel of her gun is moving, and its sights are set on Lindow.

Lindow... Her finger is tense...the trigger almost pulled...

"When things get chaotic, look up at the sky." She remembers his words out of no where. She sees Lindow giving her those words of advice and X, giving her a firm nod.

"No!" Alisa can no longer take the pain and the voices in her head. "Stop it!" She forces her God Arc upward just as the trigger is pulled and -

* * *

- A sudden explosion causes Sakuya and X rush inside. Alisa is siting motionlessly, rambling beneath her breath. X looks between the Russian girl and the debris blocking the only entrance -and exit- into the church's altar room.

"Alisa what have you done?" Sakuya is understandably distraught.

"No no..." Alisa speaks, staring at the rubble. "Daddy mommy, I-I didn't mean it!" Alisa doesn't seem to notice Sakuya, or the gravity of her actions.

Sakuya turns her God Arc to the rubble and blasts at it – but her laser fire has no effect...

"This isn't good..." Soma grumbles, watching as four of the new-type Aragami take positions in front of him and Kota. "We're surrounded here too, dammit" One of the Aragami jump forward, too fast for Soma to see, and strikes. Kota gets knocked back into the church. It rushes in to finish off Kota, but is attracted by Sakuya and X. Sakuya wastes no time and fires at the Aragami. X moves up to cover Kota who still looks dazed.

"Hurry the hell up or we'll be surrounded!" Soma screamed, fighting back another 'Blue Vajra' that's trying to make its way into the already cramped room. It reels back as Soma enters Burst Mode. The 'Blue Vajra' X is slashing at turns around towards Soma and stalks after him as he rushes out of the doorway.

X looks over his shoulder, seeing that Sakuya is staring at the debris. So is Alisa, but she was innate and showed no signs of moving on her own. Lindow's voice comes from behind the debris, it is muffled, but still assertive.

"Take Alisa back to the Den with you. That's an order!"

But-" Sakuya is swiftly cut off.

"Didn't you hear me? Take Alisa and get back to the Den, damn you!" X looks back at Sakuya has an extreme look of desperation on her face. Soma re-enters the room, clearly disheveled. X can hear the Aragami outside, further in the distance. Soma must have given them an opening! It's either now...or never...

"Sakuya take charge of the others." Lindow commands, his voice now absolute. "Soma, find a way out of here!" Soma looks back, heeding Lindow's words. The Aragami are coming back...

Lindow's words make X move to Alisa. He kneels beside her and shakes her. She shows no signs of recognition, still lost in her own mind. "Daddy! Mommy," Alisa rambles "I didn't mean it!" Kota awakens to see Soma fighting off the enemy, complaining about how fast they move and having to buy them more time to escape.

"Hurry Lindow, come with us!" Sakuya begs, now beyond desperate.

"I'd like to, but I think I'll stay and mess with these guys first." X can sense the finality in Lindow's words. "Save some rationed beer for me!" The comment gives very little reassurance.

"No! Then I'll stay and fight, too!" Sakuya sounds determined. X hefts the catatonic Alisa onto his back, ready for withdrawal He hears Kota stepping towards them, huffing and gripping his side. X gestures to Sakuya with his head.

"Sakuya I'm ordering you. Make sure you get everyone home alive!" Lindow stresses his number one order, now placing the burden on Sakuya's shoulders.

"Sakuya, come on!" Kota gets the message; seeing that X is carrying Alisa, he grips Sakuya's arm. He tugs at her, trying to peel her away from Lindow's voice. "If we stay, we'll all end up dead!"

"No, I won't go! Lindow!" Sakuya is fighting back against Kota, but she begins to break into tears and her strength fades. Kota manages to get her off balance, and he is now half-dragging her towards the exit. X rushes in front of Kota, shifting his Arc into Gun form. He fires a recovery bullet at the ragged Soma. Soma lets out a huff and pushes himself out of the opening. He drives his God Arc into the faces of the nearest 'Blue Vajra'.

"Go, dammit!" Soma orders, clearly at his limit. X shifts his Arc back to blade form, nearly dropping it due to the large change in weight. A 'Blue Vajra' takes this opportunity to rush at X. X is forced to pivot on his heel, using his still shifting God Arc as leverage; he narrowly avoids the Aragami's teeth, but lets out a howl as his left flank is grazed by its tooth. Now in blade form, X slashes at the Aragami's eyes. It reels back from its sudden loss of vision.

"This way!" X shouts, swinging at the Aragami again to keep the opening clear. His accuracy is way off; Alisa's added weight and the pain from his fresh injury taking their toll. A few shots drive the Aragami back further, as Kota, still pulling Sakuya, moves up behind X. Soma jogs past them, his hood off and his eyes alert. Kota covers x as he runs towards Soma, and the five of them run towards the nearest route to the extraction -

X hears laughter. And not just any laughter, but very, _very _familiar laughter. Laughter that makes his blood run cold. He looks left, towards the heart of the City of Mercy. In the gleam of sunlight bouncing off a window, X saw the frame of a human being. He focused his eyes and he could make out white teeth in a wide, unrestrained grin.

"Siiiiiiiiilllllllllllvvvvvveeeeerrrrrr."

'(That voice...)' X stops, forgetting everything else but where he heard that voice before. '(No...it can't be...not here!)' He is crudely reminded of his current situation when a 'Blue Vajra' sails over his head and separates him from his already weary and disconnected team. He lifts his God Arc up and deploys the shield. It is a small ward when against a heavy foe and supported with only one hand. X feels the 'Blue Vajra's' teeth scrape his right shoulder. He grunts, and pulls the trigger on his gun part, firing off a blaze-type radial Impulse Edge in the beasts mouth. It releases X, letting out an extra loud roar.

'(Is it weak to blaze?)' X finds his mind working quickly, but his feet are much quicker. He is running away from the Aragami, shouting out to his comrades: "I'll find another route! Go!"

"Dammit!" Soma shouts in response as the Aragami X injured receives back-up. The reinforcements give chase to Soma and the others, leaving X against two of the quadrupeds X rationalizes the situation in his head and guns for the nearest building. Hopefully, the Aragami in pursuit would be too large to chase-

"Siiiiiiilllllvvvvveeeeerrr!" X looks ahead, at the entrance to a nearby skyscraper. There, in the doorway, shirtless with a utility belt around his waist, ripped pants and bare foot, was a face X never though he'd see again for as long as he lived.

"Feit?!" X hollers incredulously. Then, something inside of him snaps – every single thing Feit had ever done to him comes rushing back into his memory, and X feels the sudden urge to give chase to Feit. His instincts are telling him to disobey that urge, to take a right into the small factory looking building and try to regroup with Soma and the others. But as X continues towards the alleyway, huffing and puffing with the sounds of two heavy Aragami on his heels, there's this...almost external force driving him towards Feit.

Feit lifts a hand, and something made of glass reflects light. Feit hurls it towards X, and it breaks a few feet off. Just as X reaches the doorway to the factory, he catches a whiff of something foul...and is that ginger? He then feels a sudden rush of adrenaline and his head snaps to Feit. X lets out a low growl, and turns away from the factory.

"Feit!" X screams in rage, and takes off after the figure fading into the darkness of the building. His instinct tells him to stop, but that odd scent seems to have claimed control of his body. He's going to track Feit own, no matter how long it took, or how high up in the skyscraper he had to go.

And when X got his hands on Feit...

Either he blocked out all sound, or the Aragami were no longer giving chase to him. X didn't care what the reason was, but that meant that he and Feit would now be alone. X began imagining the terrible things he would do to Feit once he caught him; no doubt Feit was huddled into some dark corner, pissing himself in fear. X felt an odd rush at the thought of standing over Feit, God Arc in hand. He smiled as he pictured the God Arc's predator form taking a bite out of.-

'(Have I...)' X's brain cuts the thought short, but his body is still moving seemingly on its own. '(Finally gone insane?)' A sudden recollection of the day X encountered Charm then spurs him onward. '(I'll find out what that bastard did to Charm!)' Now that he has a reason, X didn't feel too bad about giving chase to Feit He crosses through the dark doorway and looks around.

'(Wait...wasn't I supposed to be running...in the other direction?)' X struggles against himself, but then he hears Feit laughter from the floor above. His rage spikes, and X races towards the first flight of stairs he spots, wondering why he feels as if he was carrying the weight of another...

* * *

"Are they gone?" Lindow sits propped against some of the run off debris blocking his only accessible exit He senses something, his adrenaline and veteran God Eater experience telling him it's far from over. He looks beyond the dead 'Blue Vajra', and up towards the opening in the church building. A jet black Aragami with a wicked face of an old man emerges. It has a beige yellow cape and the aura of an emperor.

"(sighs) Can't you let me rest for a second? I can't go on like this..." Taking one final inhale of his cigarette, Lindow tosses it to the side and lifts his God Arc to his shoulder. His eyes glance the dead 'blue Vajra' and checks the carton of cigarettes beside him. "Empty..." He laughs; he typically smoked after a battle. While he was always scolded for smoking, it was Lindow's own way of appreciating the smaller hings in life.

"Can't help but think this is symbolic somehow..." He chuckles. He then remembered earlier that day – he had been goofing off, as usual, and forgot to grab another pack. He bumped into Dr. Daigo Oguruma that day and asked if he could 'bum a cig' – a phrase used quite often in the old days. The doctor said he was empty himself, but Lindow could tell he was lying. Lindow didn't press the issue – that wasn't his style.

He gazed up at the jet-black Vajra as it let loose a roar. "Yeah yeah, I'm coming..." Lindow is up before the cigarette he discarded rolls to a stop. While cigarettes were a small joy in his hectic life, they also helped to keep his nerves in check. Lindow, already fatigued from his fight with the blue Vajra, felt his grip shaking on his God Arc.

'(It's just you and me...partner...)' Lindow thought, forcing himself to remain calm. '(The others are on their way to safety.)' The jet-black Aragami now growled, still poised with its back against the setting sun as Lindow walked towards it, ready for what may come...

'(No way back, now...)'

_And that concludes the first part of the infamous 'Moon in the Welkin' mission. It has been anticipated for quite sometime now – and once believed to be already published, but with a ton of changes. But no, this is it, the turning point I've been going on about for a while now. And this was just the first part, too. Chapter nineteen will be the second half of the two part 'Moon in the Welkin' special that not only kick starts a story line for the in-game canon, but also begins the true action for the fanon._

_That's right. Don't Run Away is about to __**actually**__ begin. So far we've had cryptic messages, new recruits with past trauma, hints of betrayal and deception, and even a one on one man vs beast fight to the death – and we're not even at the true starting point. Are you ready for it? I hope so, because once we go conclude the Moon in the Welkin and chapter twenty, the series is going to start making leaps and bounds._

_Here's hoping you all stick around to the end! Stay frosty, everyone!_

_Xen Kenshin_


End file.
